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Labour launches official campaign, Yesh Atid to finalise electoral list

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Last night the Labour Party convention officially approved the Zionist Camp electoral list, marking the beginning of the party’s official campaign.

Current polls indicate that the Zionist Camp, a joint Labour-Hatnuah slate could become the Knesset’s largest party in the 17 March general election. The final slots on the list were clarified last night. Senior economist Manuel Trachtenberg will be eleventh on the list and although former head of Military Intelligence Amos Yadlin is the presumed Zionist Camp candidate for Defence Minister, he will not run as a Knesset candidate. Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni confirmed that her party’s candidates will be MK Amir Peretz, former MK Yoel Hasson, journalist Ksenia Svetlova and Green Movement co-chairman Yael Cohen Paran.

Speaking at the event, Labour head Isaac Herzog said, “No one will teach us what Zionism is – we are the true Zionism.” Meanwhile, Livni addressed Prime Minister Netanyahu, saying “you are on your way home.”

Netanyahu yesterday addressed the Likud Party’s Knesset candidates at a strategy meeting. He reportedly claimed that the Zionist Camp list “is not the old Labour party” but instead, “That party disappeared and was replaced by left-wing extremists.” The Likud Elections Committee will this morning begin a recount of votes to determine whether Tzipi Hotovely or Avi Dichter has secured the coveted twentieth slot on Likud’s electoral list.

In a Channel Ten interview yesterday, Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett all but ruled out a joint ticket with Likud. He cited fundamental differences such as Likud’s “support for a Palestinian state,” but added “never say never in politics.”

Meanwhile, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid is today set to announce his party’s list of Knesset candidates. It is thought that those who served as cabinet ministers will take the top slots, followed by current MKs. However, prominent places are also likely to be found for two new recruits – Former Hatnuah MK Elazar Stern and Mayor of Eshkol Regional Council Haim Yeilin.