Amir Peretz
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"Amir Peretz" is an Israeli Jews/Israeli politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Hatnuah. He previously served as Ministry of Defense (Israel)/Minister of Defence, leader of the Israeli Labor Party/Labor Party and Environmental Protection Ministry (Israel)/Minister of Environmental Protection.

Peretz is the former chairman of the Histadrut trade union federation and defeated Shimon Peres in the primary elections for the Labor leadership on 9 November 2005. He led the Labor Party to a second place showing in the Israeli legislative election, 2006/2006 elections and became Defense Minister on 4 May 2006. He was defeated by Ehud Barak for the Labor leadership on 12 June 2007 and resigned from the cabinet. He joined the Hatnuah party in December 2012.

More Amir Peretz on Wikipedia.

I believe the motion ... next Monday will pass by a large majority. I hope very much that (before then) on Thursday I can reach an agreement with the prime minister.

They suddenly understood that the dream of a 'whole Israel' is a dream that we paid a very high price for and ... has no chance (of being implemented).

This culture of unity governments is a danger to democracy. We are being swept into an illogical political situation.

For the good of Israel, the date of March 7 (for general elections) cannot be delayed.

All I ask is for the prime minister to explain the meaning behind delaying our meeting.

I'm letting him choose between late February and late March.

I have no intention of letting Sharon play the political scene as if it were his private hunting ground. With all the respect I have for him, this era is over.

I will let him decide the date within the period of the end of February and the end of March. Any date he decides is okay with me.

I think many in the Arab sector will support me because I think I bring some of the remedies to ... the severe feeling of growing separation between Israeli Arabs and their country. We cannot allow this.