MK Shelly Yachimovich (Zionist Union) today confirmed last week's report in "Globes" by announcing her decision to run for the chairpersonship of the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) in the elections three months from now as representative of the Social Home faction. MK Eitan Cabel (Zionist Union) founded the faction before the 2012 Histadrut elections. "I'm asking you, women and men, from all parts of the political spectrum to give me the right to lead this organization and bring about a turnaround," Yachimovich said.
Yachimovich said she planned to make the Histadrut a "powerful, courageous, incorruptible and truly democratic social spearhead for the sake of improving the world of labor, for the sake of the so simple and basic right to earn a respectable living, and live in dignity, and for the sake of all Israeli society."
Yachimovich also repeated the allegations made earlier by Cabel that heavy pressure had been exerted in recent days on various parties to prevent her candidacy. "This morning, after several difficult days in which brutal attempts were made reminiscent of 'House of Cards,' to evade democratic elections by preventing us from running, I and Eitan have signed an agreement, and we will start the campaign. The spirit of volunteerism, faith, heartfelt enthusiasm, and the public atmosphere are defeating money and deals," she added.
Yachimovich's announcement came only 20 minutes before a meeting of the Histadrut house of representatives, at which representatives of the various factions were due to announce their intention of allowing a candidate on their behalf to run for the leadership of the Histradrut. The timing was particularly dramatic, in view of the fact that the Social Home faction signed a coalition agreement with Histadrut chairman Avi Nissenkorn's Ogen faction a month ago, which ostensibly should have made Yachimovich's candidacy impossible.
Cabel admitted that he had known about the agreement with Nissenkorn, but said that it had been made before Yachimovich had decided to run. "As soon as there is a candidate, she must be allowed to run, and with all due respect, I founded the Social Home faction, and I mortgaged my parents' home for it," he told "Globes" today. According to Cabel, after he lost to Ofer Eini in the elections for the chairpersonship of the Histadrut, he had left management of the faction to Itzik Yoel, but had never imagined that Yoel would manage it as if it belonged to him.
Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog said that he is backing Nissenkorn.
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on February 5, 2017
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