OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Israel's struggling opposition Labour party has elected a new leader seen as a potential moderate ally for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rightist cabinet, results of a party poll showed on Friday. Isaac Herzog, a former minister, defeated Labour incumbent Shelly Yachimovich in a nationwide poll of party members held on Thursday. Yachimovich conceded early on Friday. Yachimovich, a former journalist, was highly confrontational with Netanyahu and Herzog's unexpected victory could open the way for greater cooperation with the government — notably over the issue of peace talks with the Palestinians. Some political commentators have speculated that the Labour party could eventually enter the cabinet and replace a national religious party deeply opposed to making concessions to the Palestinians in the U.S.-brokered talks. Israel's centrist finance minister, who heads the second largest party in Netanyahu's broad coalition, was swift to welcome Herzog's rise to the top of the Labour party. – Reuters
