National Union: Merger Dependent on Struggle for Eretz Yisrael

Avi Yellin NU MKs
A7 News

Lawmakers from the National Union party on Thursday evening responded to an earlier call from Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home-New National Religious Party) Chairman Daniel Hershkowitz for the two factions to unite by saying that so long as Bayit Yehudi remains in Netanyahu’s coalition during the government’s current ban on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria, the National Union cannot justify merging the parties. MK Professor Aryeh Eldad said, “At this moment, Minister Hershkowitz and the NRP are participants in the freeze [on Jewish building in Judea and Sama. Before they initiate renewed unification with the National Union, they need to explain to the public how they are ready to be full responsible partners to the government policy...”



MK Professor Michael Ben-Ari added that “Minister Hershkowitz’s call to the National Union to unite is worthy of discussion after they join the common struggle against the construction freeze on the benches of the opposition.” Referring to the forcible expulsion of Jews from the Gaza region and four northern Samarian communities in 2005, Ben-Ari said, “The National Union will not give the NRP legitimacy to be a participant in another expulsion.”



Although National Union Chairman Ya'akov (Ketzaleh) Katz responded positively to Hershkowitz’s call for unity and said that he was glad to receive Hershkowitz’s letter offering a merger of the two Zionist parties, he added that “The National Union faction, all its members and activists, throughout all of Israel, are busy these days with various activities across Yesha [Judea and Samaria -ed to thwart the racist policies against the 300,000 Jews of Judea and Samaria. After the successful nullification of the evil decrees of Netanyahu and his government, the faction will have the time to discuss the Bayit Yehudi chairman’s request.”