MK Michael Ben-Ari released a statement Tuesday following reports that he plans to run for Knesset with his Our Land of Israel faction and not on the joint National Union- Jewish Home list. “We would have been happy to run with Ketzaleh and Uri Ariel,” he said. “In light of the spot on the list that [Ketzaleh] gave us – we wish him well.”

“Immediately after we left Rabbi Eliyahu’s house we began to prepare our campaign,” he added. Ben-Ari and his fellow National Union MKs had met in the home of Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu to attempt to iron out a compromise.