Israel Labour leader vote too close to call

Israel Labour leader vote too close to call

With the winner likely to become Israel's defense minister as the senior Labour member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's coalition, first-round winner Barak was behind or level with Ami Ayalon in two polls published by Israeli newspapers.

Both results were within the surveys' margins of errors, however, leaving the outcome of the vote on June 12 by up to 103,000 Labour party members too close to call.

Barak, a decorated former army chief who made failed peace moves toward Palestinians and Syria while prime minister from 1999 to 2001, took 36 percent in a five-way first round on May 28. Former admiral and intelligence chief Ayalon had 31 percent.

Outgoing party leader and defense minister Amir Peretz, who came third with 22 percent, has thrown his backing behind Ayalon but it is unclear how far Peretz's supporters will follow.

A poll in Haaretz daily gave Ayalon 47 percent to Barak's 43 percent, while Maariv put the two men tied on 45 percent. Both polls had error margins of 4.5 percent. Maariv quoted analysts saying Barak would gain more votes from those still undecided.

Both Ayalon and Barak have called for Olmert, leader of the centrist Kadima party, to quit over his handling of last year's Lebanon war. But neither has said he would pull centre-left Labour out of the coalition immediately. Both may see a longer term future as prime minister if Labour support improves.

Ayalon is still something of a newcomer to party politics who has campaigned against corruption scandals that have dented the reputation of Olmert and previous administrations.

Barak, whom many Israelis remember for the dynamic and divisive peace diplomacy of his term as premier, has enlisted public support from retired generals and the two other losing first-round candidates, Ophir Pines-Paz and Danny Yatom.