Despite the agreement of all, actualizing a merger of right-wing parties ahead of the Knesset election is another matter entirely. According to a Walla News report on Tuesday, Ayelet Shaked is working to advance such a union, of all the right-wing parties, those who she describes as being “right of Likud”, which would include the New Right (Naftali Bennet) and the Otzma Yehudit party.

This will not be easily accomplished, as Otzma has already announced publicly that Bayit Yehudi Chairman Rabbi Rafi Peretz has not honored their agreement, and as such, they are breaking away and will not run with Bayit Yehudi in the upcoming election.

Upon her return from the United States, Shaked has been working towards the unity concept, having met on Monday night with her former partner, Naftali Bennet, as she is preparing to announce her decision vis-à-vis her political future. The report states Shaked was hoping that PM Netanyahu would bring her on board to the Likud, but this is not happening, reportedly due to the strong objections by Mrs. Sara Netanyahu. Shaked has been offered the number two slot on the Bayit Yehudi list, and she may also remain with Bennet and his New Right party.

Walla continues, explaining a major stumbling block to unity in the right-wing is the refusal of many in Bayit Yehudi to work with Naftali Bennet again after he bolted from Bayit Yehudi to announce his new party, leaving Bayit Yehudi with staggering debt. Perhaps these individuals prefer to direct their anger at Bennet alone, and not Shaked, who went along with him, as she has unique electoral popularity, with one official in Likud stating this week that Shaked alone would bring 70,000 votes.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)