The Bayit Yehudi party is scrambling to save the future of the party before Wednesday’s deadline at 10 p.m. to submit party lists.

Bayit Yehudi is in a bind due to the merger of the New Right and the National Union, leaving them in the cold together with Otzma Yehudit. It’s doubtful that the Bayit Yehudi-Otzma Yehudit list could pass the threshold but on the other hand, although the New Right called for Bayit Yehudi to join the merger, they will not agree to merge with Otzma Yehudit.

In light of the situation, Bayit Yehudi tried to convince senior national-religious media personalities to join the party to bolster its popularity but the offers were refused. Bayit Yehudi leaders also held a discussion with Yachad chairman former Interior Minister Eli Yishai on Wednesday about a joint run in the upcoming elections. However, Bayit Yehudi refused to fulfill Yishai’s stipulations of one seat in the first four places of the list and another seat in the first eight places and the discussion ended without an agreement.

Earlier, Prime Minister Netanyahu tried to convince senior national-religious Rabbi, former MK Rav Chaim Druckman, to take over Bayit Yehudi from Rafi Peretz and unite the right-wing parties. Rav Druckman, 87, turned down the offer.

Also on Wednesday, Nasi of the Moetzet Chachmei Torah, Harav Shalom Cohen, announced that the Shas list for the 23rd Knesset will remain exactly the same as the list for the September elections.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)