The small, leftist Sheli Party was split Saturday night when its Black Panther faction broke away in an angry dispute over a Knesset seat. Fist fights erupted after the party’s convention voted 66-56 to reject the demand by Black Panther leader Soadia Marciano that he replace Meir Payil in one of the party’s two Knesset seats.
Marciano claimed later that the issue was not the seat but rather that Payil and Sheli’s other MK, Uri Avneri, played politics and ignored burning social problems. Merciano claimed the seat on the basis of a vaguely drafted agreement made before the 1977 elections which provided for a rotation among Sheli members. Arye Eliav relinquished his seat in favor of Avneri. Marciano contended that he was now entitled to replace Payil. The fisticuffs were allegedly started by Marciano’s supporters.
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