Histadrut Labor Federation Chairman Ofer Eini has endorsed MK Shelly Yachimovich in her bid to head the Labor Party. Over the past five years, Yachimovich has been a loyal champion of workers in the halls of the Knesset. She has never asked for any political favors in return, and has always remained true to the social-democratic values she holds, Eini said Monday. Eini's endorsement surprised no one, as he is known to be a bitter rival of Yachimovichs rival Amir Peretz, his immediate predecessor at the Histadrut. Einis endorsement is the latest in the neck-and-neck race being waged by Yachimovich and Peretz, a former Labor leader and one-time defense minister. The runoff vote to choose between the two leading candidates will be held this Wednesday, after the first round of voting proved indecisive. The winner is likely to be determined by votes cast in kibbutzim and Arab towns. On Monday, Yachimovich also picked up endorsements from Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and Kibbutz Movement Secretary-General Ze'ev Shor, as well as from some prominent figures who supported her rivals in the first round of voting, including Yisrael Savyon, who ran the Haifa campaign for former Labor leader and MK Amram Mitzna, and Isaac (Buji) Herzog's former campaign managers Gideon Ben-Yisrael and Moti Agimi. In addition, Adir Vishnia, a political advisor to MK Yitzhak Herzog, threw his weight behind Yachimovich. Peretz also gained several noteworthy endorsements this week. Former Labor ministers and veteran MKs Moshe Shahal, Uzi Baram and Nissim Zvili all declared their support for him, as did several kibbutz movement leaders. Dalia Rabin-Pelossof, daughter of late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, also announced her support for Peretz. The Peretz campaign played down Eini's endorsement Monday. A spokesman said most Histadrut members would vote for Peretz, despite the pressure exerted on them by their superiors at the Histadrut. Yachimovich welcomed Eini's decision, saying his support was not only very important in terms of our campaign operation, but also has a moral component to it. The showdown between Yachimovich, who entered politics only five years ago after a long career as a journalist, and her estwhile political patron, former Labor chairman and Defense Minister Amir Peretz, comes after neither candidate managed to win the needed 40 percent in the first round of voting last Monday. Yachimovich had been expected to succeed at that vote, but both she and Peretz won an almost identical share of votes in the first round, and are now fighting for every vote. Observers say the winner will be determined by voter turnout in the kibbutzim, considered to be a Yachimovich stronghold, or among Arab voters, where Peretz enjoys overwhelming support. Defense Minister and Labor party chairman Ehud Barak left the Labor party in January along with four other MKs to create the Independence (Ha'Atzmaut) faction. Labor currently has only eight Knesset seats. Peretz has denied reports that he plans to defect from the party along with several other MKs if he loses to Yachimovich. Former Knesset speaker Avraham Burg, who once contended for Labor's top job, also voiced his support for Peretz, calling him the only leader who can siphon off disenchanted Likud voters among the economically disadvantaged who seek a new sociopolitical home. Only a Labor headed by Peretz can bring about a change in governments. Former MK and Labor leader Amram Mitzna, who endorsed Peretz after coming in a distant fourth in last week's first round of voting, arrived at the Peretz headquarters Monday. Amir brings to the table a rich executive record. He can bring the party together and lead it like [former Labor Prime Minister] Yitzhak Rabin did and bring us back to power, Mitzna said. Ron Pundak, who was one of the architects of the Oslo Accords signed between Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 1993, also endorsed Peretz Monday. Amir was one of the first to understand the political reality Israel is facing and to advocate a two-state solution, Pundak said. Speaking at a campaign event Monday, Peretz burnished Labor's left-wing credentials. We are pro-social justice and we fight for peace. We see no distinction between the two causes. Israel might have to face a diplomatic wildfire that would require a supertanker [a massive airplane used to extinguish the Mt. Carmel 2010 forest fire]. This must be in the form of an immediate resumption of peace talks. On Thursday we will be able to announce that Labor is returning to the helm of the peace camp. Meanwhile, in a tactical win for the Yachimovich campaign, Labor's governing institutions ruled Monday that registered students and soldiers may vote near their respective school or army base rather than in their home town. Peretz had opposed such a ruling.
