Meretz and Labor chiefs agree to Lapid-brokered unity talks

Leaders of the Knesset’s left flank confirm they were invited to a meeting by Prime Minister Yair Lapid, amid public pressure from the prime minister upon the leaders of Labor and Meretz to run together in the upcoming November elections.

Lapid has said that it’s “incredibly important” for the parties to unite their slates in order to prevent either one from slipping below the 3.25% vote threshold to enter Knesset. November’s race is expected to be tight, and votes wasted on a party that doesn’t cross the threshold will likely cost Lapid’s bloc a shot at maintaining power.

Both Labor’s Merav Michaeli and Meretz’s Zehava Galon confirmed Lapid’s invitation to meet with Lapid Saturday night.

Michaeli, who has been the holdout, says she will attend, but did not indicate any softening of her stance. Labor has dropped from six to five seats in recent polls, skirting right above the four-seat minimum to enter Knesset.

“I received the prime minister’s invitation and of course, I’ll come with an open mind for a discussion on the matter,” she says. “The main goal is to prevent the return of a right-wing government.”

Galon, who recently retook Meretz’s reins after a break from politics, is polling between four and five seats and has been open to unification discussions since she was voted in as party leader last month.

“Of course I’ll go,” Galon says. “There might be cake and drinks.”