JERUSALEM — Two peace activists abandoned Israel's Labor Party for a new alliance Wednesday, sharpening the debate over how to make peace with Palestinians.
Yossi Beilin, an architect of the Oslo peace accords, and Yael Dayan, daughter of war hero and former Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, joined Meretz, a smaller, more dovish bloc with a liberal social platform.
The two were angered that they were not chosen in a primary to be among Labor's top candidates for parliament.
Both Israelis and Palestinians are planning elections in January, but Palestinians said theirs will probably have to be postponed because Israeli military operations make it nearly impossible to organize them.
Ali Jarbawi, head of the Palestinian election committee, said the panel would meet next week to recommend that the Jan. 20 vote be delayed.
