ABSTRACT
Voters saw, in contrast to these issues, Labor's democratic internal reforms, particularly the primaries through which Yitzhak Rabin was selected to head a young and ethnically diverse Knesset slate. Moreover, Labor, because it had organized the most participatory party conference in its history, gained greater self confidence, purpose, and hope, and a rejuvenated public image. During the government's first year, in several of the Labor party contests in which Rabin and Peres backed rival candidates for positions, the Peres-backed candidates, for example, Eli Dayan for party Knesset faction chairman and Nissim Zvilli for secretary-general of the party, won. Histadrut secretary-general Haim Haberfeld attacked Labor party members who have called for the "wholesale liquidation" of Histadrut assets to pay off its debts. Although Rabin's personal leadership ability was stressed by Labor in the campaign and his personal style has invited a critique of his leadership, in a parliamentary system there is a collective responsibility that includes all members of government.
