Akiva Lewinsky, the Labor Party’s candidate for chairman of the World Zionist Organization-Jewish Agency executives, said Wednesday he would not withdraw his candidacy despite his recent rejection by diaspora Jewish fund-raisers.
Speaking at a meeting of high-level Labor Party leaders convened by Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, Lewinsky said he saw his candidacy as an undertaking on behalf of the party, since the party nominated him unanimously.
Peres, the Labor Party leader, did not speak up for Lewinsky at the meeting. Stressing that it was important for Labor to win the chairmanship of the WZO at the forthcoming World Zionist Congress here, Peres said it was also important to avoid a confrontation with the fund-raisers.
A six-member committee headed by Peres was appointed to resolve the issue of the candidacy and is expected to report back next week.
Other Labor Party possibles for the job are former Health Minister Mordechai Gur and former Ambassador to the United States Simcha Dinitz.
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