The jinx

[occuserpens]

Jinxes appear to be a crucial part of managed democracy. Nothing is better for the ruling party than to keep a few jinx stooges in charge of opposition.

AMOTZ ASA-EL. The jinx http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1132053874016&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
Shimon Peres never tires of reminding everyone that his first electoral victory came in 1944, when he won the leadership of the Noar Ha'oved Vehalomed youth movement. What he neglects to mention is that it was also his last.

During the following three generations, while leaving an indelible imprint on Israel's history as the builder of its aerospace industry, architect of its nuclear program, rehabilitator of its economy, and mastermind of its peace accords with Jordan and the Palestinians, Peres lost 10-odd election contests between his bids for the premiership, the presidency and Labor's leadership. No wonder, then, that so many of his admirers were resigned to the conclusion that their hero was politically jinxed.

[Jim Sagle]

1. He's the Bob Shrum of Israel.

[occuserpens]

2. Efforts to persuade Peres to join PM's new party

Actually, it would be great if Peres joins Sharon's Likudoid. Why pretend that he has anything to do with the left?

Mazal Mualem. Efforts to persuade Peres to join PM's new party http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/649947.html

Efforts are underway to persuade deposed Labor Party leader Shimon Peres to join Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new party Kadima, it was reported Friday evening on the Channel 2 news program.

According to the report, former Labor MK Haim Ramon, who this week abandoned his party to join Sharon, is among those trying to convince Peres to follow suit.

[occuserpens]

3. Peres will join Kadima in coming days

It would be purrfect: Peres belongs to one faction of Likud or another! It would be even better if Peres brought them a bit of his political bad luck...

GIL HOFFMAN. Labor sources: Peres will join Kadima in coming days: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1132475629033&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull

[occuserpens]

4. Why not?

Sounds like a good idea...

Ynet. Yaron London. Enough already, Shimon!

He's got to understand that his defeat at the hands of Amir Peretz was not due to some organizational slip up, because he didn't make that one extra phone call to some party secretary, because he missed the wedding of some Arab village leader, or because some kibbutz in the north-eastern-central Galilee has been forgotten.

Rather, this is about a deep undercurrent that carries with it a change.
Peres may be unbreakable and unflappable, but we are made of different stuff: The pathetic sight of our family patriarch is almost too much to bear. We want him to step down before he really degrades himself.

There is a fine line between disgrace and honor, and if Peres doesn't figure out where it is soon, we are going to lose our patience.

[occuserpens]

5. Peres is gone

Attila Somfalvi. Peres quits Labor

[occuserpens]

6. Uphhhhhhhhh... It is not that simple!

It is clear that Pers will leave Labor and Knesset. Also, his future role in the government looks pretty symbolic. But will he join Sharon's party?

JPost. GIL HOFFMAN. Peres: Sharon only leader who can lead Israel to peace

Former prime minister and Labor Party leader Shimon Peres ended weeks of speculation about his political future when he announced on Wednesday that he had decided to retire from the Knesset, endorse Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and join his attempt to bring about Middle East peace.
If Sharon is re-elected as prime minister, Peres is to serve as a senior minister in charge of peace talks with the Palestinians and developing the Galilee and Negev regions. He does not intend to seek a Knesset seat with Sharon's new Kadima party, ending a record 46 years in the Knesset.
He told his associates that, following his loss to Amir Peretz in the November 9 Labor leadership race, he was disgusted by party politics and he could no longer remain in Labor.