TEL AVIV, May 28: Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz was ousted as Labour party chief on Monday, in a key primary which threatens to rattle Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's ruling coalition, television polls showed.
Ex-premier Ehud Barak and Israel's former domestic security chief Ami Ayalon were heading to a run-off ballot, said two television polls released after the close of voting, with Peretz came in a distant third.
The polls were split, however, on who would come out top in Monday's primary in which the Labour party's 100,000 members were eligible to vote. The official results are expected by Tuesday morning.
The public Channel One station gave Barak 38 per cent and Ayalon 36 per cent of the vote, while private Channel Two put Ayalon in the lead with 39 per cent and Barak trailing with 33 per cent. A candidate needs to garner at least 40 per cent of votes cast on Monday to avoid a second-round ballot which would take place in two weeks.
Peretz — whose ratings have dropped to single digits after a government inquiry blasted him for failing in his duties as defence minister during last year's Lebanon war — won between 17 and 19pc, according to the polls.—AFP
