Labor Party chief refuses to boycott coalition with Haredi parties

Labor Party leader Merav Michaeli (L) visits the Jaffa flea market on March 20, 2021. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
Labor Party leader Merav Michaeli (L) visits the Jaffa flea market on March 20, 2021. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Labor chief Merav Michaeli says peace between Israel and the Palestinians is “first and foremost an Israeli interest” and that resolving the conflict is a top priority of the center-left party.

In a pre-election interview with Channel 12 news, Michaeli says she’ll “make every effort” to replace Netanyahu as prime minister. She also refuses to rule out sitting in a coalition with Haredi parties, after the head of the left-wing Meretz party asked why she was willing to be part of a government with the ultra-Orthodox.

“We don’t boycott any community,” she says.

Michaeli also won’t commit to recommending Yair Lapid as prime minister after the elections, saying Labor will back whoever is able to put together a majority coalition to replace Netanyahu.

Speaking after Michaeli, Defense Minister Benny Gantz says he’ll back his former ally Lapid if the opposition leader is able to form a government.

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