Amir Peretz

Mayor of Sderot, a city in the Negev and secretary general of Histadrut for the last ten years, Amir Peretz, 53 years old, was elected president of the Labour Party on November 10, 2005 –against favourite candidate Shimon Peres. Of Moroccan origin (born in Boudhar, a village in the Atlas Mountains), Peretz became famous as a social agitator and an advocate of the peace process. He is a member of the Shalom Ashav Movement (Peace Now) which opposes colonies in the occupied territories and is a founder of the B’tselem, the most important Israeli Human Rights organization.