Former Labor head Mitzna to be 2nd on Livni's list
Labor officials slam Mitzna for breaking pledge to remain active member of party after he lost in last year's Labor leadership race.
By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMANAmram Mitzna 370(photo credit: REUTERS)
Former Labor leader Amram Mitzna will hold a press conference in Tel Aviv Sunday to announce that he will join The Tzipi Livni Party and be its number two candidate in the January 22 election.Mitzna, who has served as mayor of Haifa and Yeroham ran unsuccessfully for prime minister against Ariel Sharon in 2003. He ran again for Labor leader last year and finished in last place.Labor officials slammed Mitzna for breaking a pledge he signed when he ran for Labor leader to "accept the will of the voters" and remain an active member of the party."It is unfortunate the people who purportedly represent clean politics refuse to honor democratic decisions," a Labor spokeswoman said.Mitzna said he did not believe he was obligated by what he signed after he was mistreated by Labor. He said he would elaborate Sunday.Click for full JPost coverageAnother well-known former public official who may join Livni's list is former state comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss, who wrote several reports critical of Netanyahu and his ministers."I am considering Mrs Livni's offer and I will make a decision soon after consulting my family," Lindenstrauss told Israel Hayom.The only candidate officially announced over the weekend by Livni's party was Jerusalem city councilwoman Merav Cohen. Cohen, 29, was one of the founders of the Hitorerut movement, which aimed at returning young people to Jerusalem and making the holy city attractive to secular people.Livni has attracted six Kadima MKs to her party. She needs a seventh for the split to become legal and win more than NIS 9 million in party funding.
