„The present need calls for a big and significant left-wing bloc alongside the center,“ said Zandberg, repeating a similar call she made before the last election, which Gabbay rejected after polls held by both parties at the time showed a merger wouldn‘t increase their total number of seats.

Zandberg‘s rushed proposal also signals to left-wing voters that if such a union never comes, the fault would rest with Labor.

Other Labor member do not support a union with Meretz. „In the Labor Party‘s current condition, we need to join Kahol Lavan and run on a joint slate,“ said one of the party‘s lawmakers.