After the announcement that Ayelet Shaked has assumed the leadership position of the New Right party, Itamar Ben-Gvir, of the Otzma Yehudit party, is calling for right-wing unity. “I Believe that soon, there will be bigger connections. The mission at present is to prevent the establishment of a left-wing government”.

Ben-Gvir sent a congratulatory message to Shaked on her new position, heading the New Right party. He warned that the right-wing must unite to prevent the establishment of a left-wing government, “In which Ayman Odeh and Ahmed Tibi will be ministers”.

He added, “Without Otzma Yehudit receiving worthy positions, it may chas v’sholom lead to the establishment of a left-wing government”.

According to a report by the dati leumi Srugim website, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu phoned Bayit Yehudi party leader Rabbi Rafi Peretz a number of times in the past week, working to have him include Otzma Yehudit on a United Right-Wing party (URWP) list. Otzma Yehudit is now demanding the 3rd and 6th slots, while both Bayit Yehudi and Ichud Leumi want to give Otzma the 7th and 8th slots.

Political analyst Amit Segal reported that Mrs. Sara Netanyahu phoned Mrs. Michal Peretz, wife of Rabbi Rafi Peretz, asking that Bayit Yehudi does not merge with the New Right party headed by Shaked. Bayit Yehudi officials confirm the two met, but sources close to Mrs. Netanyahu state the report of their conversation is “fiction”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)