February 1977 Israeli Labor Party leadership election

• Shimon Peres, member of the Knesset since 1959, Minister of Defense since 1974, former Minister of Information (1974), former Minister of Transportation (1970–1974), and former Minister of Immigration and Absorption (1969–1970) • Yitzhak Rabin, incumbent leader since 1974, Prime Minister since 1974, member of the Knesset since 1973, former Minister of Labour (1974), former ambassador to the United States (1968–1973), and former Chief of the General Staff (1964–1968) ==Background==

The race came at a moment when Labor was facing the prospect of seeing its 28-consecutive years of government leadership end, with the right-wing Likud bloc and the centrist Democratic Movement for Change being seen as cutting into the Labor Party's support for the upcoming 1977 Knesset election. ==Campaign==

The race was a close battle between the incumbent Rabin and Peres, who had faced each other for leadership in the preceding 1974 leadership election. Rabin and Peres held little policy difference. Peres was seen as slightly to the right of Rabin on domestic matters. ==Voting procedure==

The election's electorate was 3,000 delegates to the party's convention, This was the first time that the party selected its leader by a vote of convention delegates, having previously held leadership elections through either a vote by the party's Central Committee or other party agencies. Ahead of the vote, the result leadership election was seen as uncertain in outcome, a departure from previous leadership elections, which were largely a ratification of the already-chosen selection of party bosses. == Results ==