The Labor Party's convention on Sunday decided by a 66% to 33% vote to cancel its primaries for the party’s chairmanship and Knesset candidates, shifting the right to vote away from the 44,000 Labor members and giving it to the 3,800 activists eligible to vote at the convention.
The delegates to the convention, who are dominated by supporters of Labor leader Amir Peretz, also voted to authorize him to merge Labor with Blue and White and other parties. That proposal passed by a vote of 69% to 30%.
"These steps were what is needed for our party," Peretz said. "Together, we will bring new people to the party and return it to its natural leadership role, while acting for the good of the state and Labor's values of social justice and pursuing peace."
Earlier Sunday, the Tel Aviv District Court ruled against preventing the vote, which took place online and by phone.
Labor MK Merav Michaeli asked the district court for an injunction to prevent the convention, which she said would deprive Labor members of their basic right to vote and would be "the final step to destroy Labor.”
Judge Limor Bibi decided not to intervene, because there was not enough time and because courts tend to not interfere in internal party politics. But she reserved the right to revisit the case once elections have been called.
Sources close to Peretz said they were glad the court did not intervene. Peretz said it is better to have the convention select the party chairman and MKs, because primaries among the Labor membership would be too expensive for both the party and the candidates.
Michaeli expressed satisfaction that the judge did not rule out intervening late on.
"The court reaffirmed that there is doubt about whether the maneuver is legal," she said. "I will not give up my struggle to save Labor and its democracy."