Rafi Peretz: Ayelet Shaked will lead Union of Right-Wing Parties
“In the Knesset we will operate as an independent faction,” said Bennett during a Facebook live stream video.
By JEREMY SHARONAyelet Shaked and Rafi Peretz(photo credit: REUTERS & AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
Bayit Yehudi leader Rabbi Rafi Peretz publicly conceded the top spot on a joint electoral list with the New Right to party leader Ayelet Shaked Sunday evening.Writing on Twitter, Peretz said that he was “happy to give the news that I spoke with Ayelet Shaked… and we agreed that out of national responsibility and concern for a right wing government and the religious-Zionist [public] Ayelet will head the Union of Right Wing Parties.”Peretz said that he would sit down with New Right co-founder Naftali Bennett later Sunday evening to iron out the remaining issues for a joint electoral run between the Bayit Yehudi and National Union parties and New Right.Shaked will lead the Union of Right Wing Parties, Peretz will take second spot, National Union leader Betzalel Smotrich will be number three, Bennett number four, and the exact order of the remaining six to be finalised in Peretz’s meeting with Shaked.Earlier on Sunday, Bennett insisted that New Right would split off from Bayit Yehudi and National Union after the election because of the party’s difference of opinion on issues of religion and state.“In the Knesset we will operate as an independent faction,” said Bennett during a Facebook live stream video.“A unity deal is a bus to the Knesset, once we pass that checkpoint we will get off the bus.”Bennett conceded that voters for New Right would have to vote for Knesset candidates such as Betzalel Smotrich of National Union and Itamar Ben Gvir of Otzmah who they do not agree with, but said that this was the only way to maximise votes on the right wing.“Yes, you’ll bring in people who you don’t entirely agree with, but we need a big right wing bloc, only that will stop the establishment of a left wing government,” said Bennett.“Otzmah is with us, yes, they are part of the unity deal, I do not share their opinions, but what can you do, there is diversity [on the right wing] and in elections only Knesset seats are important as they allow you to implement your values.”
Bennett said that he would also be seeking a union with Zehut, and praised Feiglin for having created a dialogue on free-market economics in Israel to combat the high cost of living.He said that it looked likely that New Right would recommend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form the next government but that the party would not allow a third round of elections if he does not succeed in forming a coalition this time around.
