Histadrut Head Nissenkorn Joins Gantz’s List

The inclusion of Histadrut chief Avi Nissenkorn into his Resilience Party is another sign of the leftist leanings of Benny Gantz, the Likud said in a statement. “After Gantz went bankrupt in the company that he managed, he is including on his list Histadrut head Nissenkorn, who heads the biggest and most influential workers’ committees in the Israel Electric Company, the ports, the railroads, and the food manufacturers – all of which prevent competition and lowering prices in the economy.” The statement referred to the Hameimad Hachamishi (Fifth Dimension) high-tech company whose board of directors Gantz headed.

Nissenkorn announced on Motzoei Shabbos that he would be joining with Gantz. “I will leave the Histadrut with a heavy heart, while working to ensure the continuity of the social path that we have placed as our priority,” he said. “Benny Gantz must be prime minister of Israel. I will continue to take a strong position on social issues, and will do that even more forcefully from within the government.”

Gantz said that Nissenkorn’s inclusion on the list will turn his party “into one that will represent the middle class. Together with Nissenkorn, who succeeded in raising the minimum wage and the average salary in the economy, we will wage a fight against the high cost of living that has become intolerable, and work towards increasing the disposable income of millions of families in the middle class.”

There was much criticism on the right of the inclusion of Nissenkorn on the Resilience list. “This is another firm example that Gantz and his party are leftists in every way,” said Science Minister Ofir Akunis. “Not just politically, but also economically.”

In a statement, the New Right party said that “Gantz has proven that the Histadrut and the big workers’ committees are his priority. Instead of concerning himself with the welfare of all Israelis by lowering the cost of living for economically weaker families, he connects himself with the union bosses. You can guess what will happen to our electric bill, the pensions of those whom the unions find favor with, the situation at the ports, the possibility of doing something to reform public service, if Nissenkorn gets his chance. Nissenkorn is a leftist, so it is not surprising that Gantz would adopt him.”