Labour minister quits Israel govt after party split

Jan 17, 2011 |

JERUSALEM

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Israel's social affairs minister Isaac Herzog on Monday became the first labour minister to quit the government after party leader Ehud Barak said he was leaving to form a new faction.

"It is a personal resignation but I have talked about it with my friends, the ministers Benjamin Ben Eliezer and Avishai Braverman, and I am convinced they will do the same," he told reporters at a press conference broadcast live on Israel's main radio stations.

Although Herzog was to leave government, relinquishing the social affairs portfolio, he was to remain with labour in an attempt to revitalise the centre-left party, he said.

"They understand the reality very well and want, with me and others, to save the labour party."

Ben-Eliezer is the minister for trade and industry, and Braverman holds the minorities portfolio within the party, which now counts just six MPs following the departure of Mr Barak.

Mr Barak said earlier on Monday he was leaving the party with four others to form a new centrist faction to be called "Independence" which will remain within the largely right wing ruling coalition of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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