Labor primary drops Herzog. Amir Peretz, Avi Gabai go to runoff

The opposition Labor primary vote Tuesday placed Amir Peretz and newcomer Avi Gabay in first (32pc) and second (27 percent) places. They will face each other in the run-off next Tuesday. Incumbent leader Yizthak Herzog dropped to third place and out of the running with 16.7 percent of the vote, followed by two new faces, Erel Margalit (16 percent) and Omar Barlev (7 percent). The turnout of registered Labor members was 59 percent. The campaign was fought over which candidate was better able to topple the Likud-led government of Binyamin Netanyahu and restore Labor to power.