Israeli Labour leader Avi Gabbay faces call to resign

A Labour-Meretz merger is among the options being mulled over after last week produced the worst-ever result for the parties representing the ideological movement that founded Israel.

After Labour won only six seats and Meretz took four, there is talk of uniting in a parliamentary bloc and perhaps even as a new left-wing party for the next election.

Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg told Haaretz this week: “I intend to work to make it happen. We need to begin doing it now.” Former Labour leader Shelly Yachimovich also said it was “something we have to consider as part of our political soul-searching.”

But the Labour leadership might prove an obstacle.

Labour chief Avi Gabbay is under intense pressure to resign following the party’s disastrous result. He has yet to indicate publicly what he will do but even if he clings on, party bylaws dictate that when Labour does not win an election, (which last happened in 1999) leadership primaries must take place within twelve months.

At this point, there is no clear frontrunner and without a leader, any cooperation with Meretz will be limited. Ms Zandberg is also coming under fire for what many party members see as a weak campaign.

While there are still ideological differences, the Zionist left’s shrunken state may leave it with little choice but to find ways of working together.