The following are updates regarding Meretz, the World Union of Meretz and Israeli politics from the March 2011 newsletter of the World Union of Meretz, compiled by Dror Morag, WUM’s secretary-general. I’ve done some editing for form and I bold some of these items for emphasis:
Next week, Meretz will elect its new Secretary General, Executive Board and Convention Presidium. We all hope that The new Secretary General and Institutions will lead the party to … enable it’s rebuilding towards the next Knesset elections.
Last week, Haim (Jumes) Oron, Meretz Chairman, resigned from the Knesset after 23 years of impressive and widely appreciated parliamentary work. Jumes did not resign his position as Meretz Chairman, and will go on with this position working towards rebuilding Meretz and the Israeli peace camp. Oron’s resignation enabled Zehava Galon to re-enter the Knesset, after a two-year hiatus following the last elections. Galon used [this] hiatus to work on her PhD in Gender Studies at the Bar Ilan University. Prior to this period Galon was a highly appreciated Knesset member for 10 years – 1999-2009.
These changes in Meretz come as a part of a bigger picture of change processes taking part in the Israeli left; a period of rebuilding and rejuvenation. Many understand that the Israeli left can no longer be fragmented [into] a variety of parties and NGO’s, thus losing many votes and not [being] able to pose a serious opposition to the Shas-Barak-Bibi-Lieberman government. A variety of forums are gathering to work out a framework for forming a single political bloc between Kadima and Hadash – a Zionist-Social Democratic-peace oriented front. We do not know yet how will this bloc will look, but the aim is to enable a formation of a center-left government with Kadima. …
JAFI [the Jewish Agency for Israel]: During February 2011, Rany Trainnin had been approved permanently to the position of Deputy Chairman, in charge of all of JAFI’s conduct inside Israel. …
JNF/KKL [Jewish National Fund/Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael]: The Struggle is yet to be concluded; a General Assembly meeting due to take place on March 15th was surprisingly postponed to an unknown date by Mr. Efi Shtenzler, JNF/KKL acting Chairman.
Meretz USA 2011 Israel Symposium: Meretz USA are currently holding their annual ‘Israel Symposium’ – a one week study trip in Israel and the west bank, meeting prominent politicians, activists and journalists discussing the Israeli left and the occupation. …
This newsletter is available in full at the World Union of Meretz Website.
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