Israeli News: A Daily Analysis

A Daily Analysis

By Marc Schulman

May 28, 2007

Barak Wins the First Round in Labor Primaries- Second Round Required

The Labor party had its primary elections today and there was a surprise. Former Prime Minister Barak won considerably more votes then Ami Ayalon. Barak received 35.6% Ayalon received 30.6 . Amir Peretz

received 22.6% of the vote, Ophir Pines received 8%- while Danny Yatom received 2.7% The results force a run-off election in two weeks between Barak and Ayalon. Polls taken before this election show Ayalon easily beating Barak in a run-off, however anything can happen.

Barak ran a highly successful campaign, in which he started out way behind Ayalon in the polls and has managed to pull substantially ahead of Ayalon in the end. The polls the day before the election showed Ayalon ahead, but in the end Barak won. Many observers believe it is unlikely that Peretz will throw his support behind Barak. However, stranger things have happened in politics.

The fight between the Justice Establishment and the Minister of

Justice became very public today. Meni Mazuz, Israel's Attorney

General attacked the suggestion that the method of selecting the next

Chief Prosecutor be changed. Currently, the Cheif Prosecutor is

selected by a non-political-judicial committee. Friedman has suggested

that he should appoint the Chei Prosecutor, followed by an approval of

the candidate by the Cabinet. Mazuz said it was unconscionable that

the political echelon would decide on the appointment of a candidate

who may later be responsible to prosecute them... should they be

indicted for any of act of malfeasance. Minister Friedman responded

that it was unbelievable that a civil servant, no matter how senior,

felt comfortable criticizing the government. Friedman went on to say

that Mazuz had prosecuted his predecessor; luckily Mazuz has not done

that to him... yet.�

To end with a sweet note: Israeli films had their best showing ever at the Cannes Festival, winning a number of important awards. Israel has gone a long way since Salach Shabbati.