Former Labor Party Chairman Shimon Peres has finalized his decision to leave the Labor Party, the Jerusalem Post quoted Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's associates as reporting on Tuesday.

In addition to Peres, Labor suffered another blow when its parliament member Dalia Itzik announced on Monday that she was leaving Labor for Sharon's Kadima party following a meeting with Sharon.

Sharon's associates said Itzik was part of a deal worked out with Peres, who insisted that Sharon find room for his closest political ally on the Kadima list.

"Sharon is willing to pay the price of a slot on Kadima's list for Dalia Itzik to bring about the departure of Shimon Peres from the Labor Party," one associate said.

When Peres returns from a trip to Spain on Wednesday evening, the veteran politician will quit the party and announce that he has accepted an offer from Sharon to become a senior minister in charge of peace talks with Palestinians and developing the Negev and Galilee.

Peres told reporters in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday night that "My goal is to make peace and it doesn't matter with which party."

Source: Xinhua