MK Shelly Yechimovich (Labor) has called on Labor to do some soul-searching following the 20th Knesset elections, after the party lost to Likud in a surprise win.

Yechimovich, speaking to Israel Radio, would not discuss the failed campaign strategy that led to the loss, but suggested instead for the party to take a different worldview for the 21st Knesset elections and to convene to discuss that worldview with senior Labor officials. 

The MK – who used to be head of the Labor party, only to be replaced last year by Yitzhak Herzog – added that the last thing she intends to do is criticize Herzog’s leadership, because the party needs to unite and dissipate internal strife in order to make a comeback.

The two prime mistakes in the campaign leading to Tuesday’s elections, in her opinion, were the failure to integrate Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz to the Zionist Union (Labor-Hatnua – ed.) and failure to strongly condemn the offensive anti-religious comments far-leftist Yair Garbuz made at the leftist rally in Rabin Square earlier this month. 

“It is very unfortunate that only Amir Peretz and I reacted very strongly to Garbuz’s words,” Yechimovich stated. “We had to condemn them and lay out a clear policy against it and not make light and elegant condemnations.”  

She added that Herzog, too, understands that a unity government is not on the agenda, and that Labor would likely sit in the Opposition. President Reuven Rivlin will begin the coalition negotiation process on Sunday, approaching the chairmen of major parties over the formation of the next government.