Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, head of the Israelis party, announced Thursday that he was pulling out of the Knesset race. He said the decision was made following failed merger talks with the Labor party, of which he was a member until only a few weeks ago when to announced an independent run in the March 23 elections.
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Early polls gave the Israelis party as many as nine Knesset seats, but the past weeks has seen support wither significantly, The last three polls by Israeli new outlets Channel 12 and Channel 13 projected he would fail to cross the four-seat electoral threshold.
"I did my best," Huldai wrote on Facebook. "Unfortunately we did not succeed. ... The most responsible action on my part is to take a step back and let others lead the effort on behalf of all of us to build the country back up. I will continue to do all I can to replace this bad government."
Labor leader Merav Michael said she hopes Huldai will rejoin the party.
