Israeli vies for Labor Party leadership on peace platform.

Byline: Michael Matza

HOLON, Israel _ Campaigning in the working-class heart of Israel, Amram Mitzna _ rumpled, gray-bearded and professorial _ does not look like the man predicted to take over the leadership of the Labor Party.

While pollsters say Mitzna, 57, is a shoo-in for his party's top spot, his body language seems to say "shoe leather" instead as he pounds the pavement of the Jewish state, promoting peace talks as the cure for Palestinian-Israeli fighting and taking nothing for granted.

Those same polls, he knows, show him losing to any leading Likud candidate in general elections scheduled for Jan. 28.

The left-of-center Labor Party meets Tuesday to elect a new leader to challenge the right-of-center Likud Party for the premiership in upcoming elections.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Likud's presumed standard-bearer, faces his own primary challenge later this month from recently appointed defense minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Before tilting at either of …