Labour loses seat in Israeli election count error

A revised election count docked one parliamentary seat from Israel’s Labour Party, from 20 to 19, stripping acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of a centre-left Jewish majority for his planned West Bank pullout.

However, the 10 seats held by Israeli-Arab parties, plus possible support from religious or centre-right parties, should enable the plan to go forward if Olmert puts together the next ruling coalition as expected.

Arab parties had demanded a recount of ballots in some Arab towns. Following the new tally, Labour lost one seat, and the United Arab List’s representation in the 120-seat parliament rose to four from three, the Central Election Commission said in a release.

The results from five polling stations were logged incorrectly, the release said.

Olmert, whose Kadima Party won the elections with 29 seats, wants to redraw Israel’s final borders with the West Bank by withdrawing from much of the territory.

For a plan as controversial as the proposed withdrawal, Olmert would like to rely on the support of a Jewish bloc without having to turn to Arab politicians outside his coalition.

It’s possible he would be able to persuade the ultra-Orthodox party Shas or a right-leaning party of Russian immigrants called Israel Beitenu to back his plan.

Labour, led by former union boss Amir Peretz, is the second-largest faction in parliament. Peretz is reportedly exploring the possibility of trying to form - and head – a coalition with religious and right-wing parties that, like Labour, want the government to spend more money on Israel’s poor.

Peretz says the religious and right-wing parties have courted him, and that he has not approached them, Israeli newspapers and radio stations reported.