JERUSALEM (AP) — A trio of forces on the Israeli left is uniting ahead of the upcoming elections.
In a joint statement Thursday, “The Democratic Camp” says it would be made up of former Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s “Democratic Israel” faction, the dovish Meretz party and senior Labor Party official Stav Shaffir. Together, the group aims to pose a powerful contrast to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conservative ruling Likud party.
The joint list will be led by Nitzan Horowitz, the newly elected, openly gay leader of Meretz. Shaffir, a rising star in Labor, will be second and Barak will be placed tenth.
With just a week left to present the final lists for September’s elections, all sides were concerned they might not get enough votes by themselves to cross the electoral threshold.