Peres vs. Peretz expected in Labor race

TEL AVIV, Israel, June 16 (UPI) -- Former Prime Minister Shimon Peres and the Labor Federation's leader Amir Peretz seem to be running neck and neck in their party's elections.

A Haaretz poll conducted Tuesday showed Peres would have won 26 percent of the votes if elections were held now and Peretz 24 percent.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak would have emerged third with 14 percent of the votes, Minister Matan Vilnai 13 percent, and Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer with 10 percent of the votes.

Peretz said he expected to run against Peres in a decisive two-way campaign for the party's leadership.

Haaretz said a second round was inevitable since neither candidate was expected to win 40 percent of the votes required to win outright n the first round.