The illustrious career of former premier and peace architect Shimon Peres appears finished, with his Labor Party rejecting a motion to consider creating a new honorary position for him.
By a vote of 1,403-856, Labor's convention on Tuesday night rejected the idea of making Peres party president three weeks before it picks a successor for him as party chairman and candidate for prime minister.Peres, who remains a member of parliament, said Wednesday he still has work to do. "I have a title and I have a job. The title is Shimon Peres and the job is to fight for peace . . . in every legal and possible way."
Before the secret ballot, Peres delivered a bitter and often emotional speech in which he attacked younger colleagues who wished to move him aside. "Forgive me for not getting old according to plan," he said.
At one point, Peres, who in 20 years lost four elections, asked rhetorically whether he is a loser, and was met with shouts of "yes, yes."
The result was considered a victory for former military chief Ehud Barak, who is heavily favored to win the Labor leadership vote June 3. Barak also is seen as the party's best chance to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.