New faces, new momentum for Meretz

On Monday, December 22, the Meretz party convention will meet to determine the party's slate of candidates for the February 10 Knesset elections. At the heart of the discussion will be a decision whether the party should run together with, "The New Movement", a relatively new but promising organization devoted to social-democracy, green initiatives, cultural liberalism and regional peace.

Among the founders of The New Movement are former Labor Party leaders, Avrum Burg and Uzi Baram, authors Amos Oz and A.B. Yehoshua, two of Peace Now's founders, Tsali Reshef and Janet Aviad, esteemed former diplomat Dave Kimche, and Adv. Talia Sasson, author of the groundbreaking Sasson Report on the growth of wildcat outposts on the West Bank.

Meretz leader Haim Oron ("Jumes") has encouraged party delegates to endorse the joint list with The New Movement. Here are selections from his letter this week to his fellow party members (the full text in Hebrew can be found here):

Dear friends,
We are about to inject a significant energy boost into the peace and social justice camp.

Nine months ago, just before you chose me to lead Meretz, I wrote you:

"Yes we can! ... Meretz can once again be a senior partner in shaping Israel's diplomatic and social agenda."

I have met with hundreds of influential individuals, both within and outside the world of politics, in order to promote this initiative ... These individuals are enthusiastic about the idea of going forward together in a large, new framework.

Most of the people in ‘The New Movement' have stayed away from politics before this, but are now ready to carry out this great step with us. Together with us, they are ready to shake up the political map and give Meretz's positions a place of much greater prominence.

I'm aware of the risk of this move; there is a risk in any major political move.

The test will be in the results - which depend in no small degree on our willingness to open up and to work energetically with our new partners.

I'm excited about the chances of this move - the chance to significantly increase Meretz's influence on Israeli politics and Israeli society. We are all active in Meretz for the sake of just this chance to do the right thing for Israeli society. For the first time in years, we have a major chance to accomplish our mission. It's extremely doubtful whether we'll get a second chance, if we miss it now.

In friendship,

Haim Oron (Jumes)