Israel’s religious right plays the merger game
Ahead of September elections, Israel’s religious right is busy examining their current positions and alliances and whether to continue with the United Right.
The next few weeks will bring news of whether the religious Zionist parties decide to continue as the United Right — the alliance that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forged from HaBayit HaYehudi, the National Union, and Jewish Power — or whether the more moderate HaBayit HaYehudi will join its former leaders, Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked, who left it before the April elections to establish the New Right.
Many in the moderate religious Zionist camp view a merger with Bennett and Shaked as a much more natural fit and are trying to convince Rafi Peretz, HaBayit HaYehudi's current leader, to part ways with Bezalel Smotrich, chair of the National Union, and Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Jewish Power representative. Smotrich and his small National Union faction call for annexing all of the West Bank and offering Israeli citizenship only to Palestinians who will pledge allegiance to Israel. Jewish Power, founded on the racist teachings of Rabbi Meir Kahane, had to make changes to its platform to avoid disqualification from elections. Compared with these two factions, HaBayit HaYehudi is more moderate.
