Labor votes for leader

Israel’s Labor Party held a leadership election.Tens of thousands of Labor members took part in a vote Monday in which Defense Minister Amir Peretz was widely expected to be toppled as party chief. Peretz’s leading rivals are former Prime Minister Ehud Barak and retired Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon.The results of the elections could impact on the stability of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s coalition government, where Labor is the biggest partner. Both Barak and Ayalon have called on Olmert to quit over the failures of last year’s Lebanon war, which also harmed Peretz’s domestic standing.Exit poll results were expected by nightfall, and a final tally early Tuesday.