In an interview with Yisraeli magazine, Minister Naftali Bennett, Chairman of the Jewish Home, said that the party is regaining steam after a drop in popularity last month.
"Large forces in the Left are working against us,” he explained. “After all, we are the 'nudniks' [naggers] of the government. When they want to free terrorists – we are the only ones who object. When they want to establish a Palestinian state – again, only we object. When they submit laws that harm the Jewish character of the country – only we make sure they never reach the law books.”
"I think that placing too much stock in polls is dangerous,” he said. “I say this with reference to polls that gave us 18 [MKs], and also of polls that gave us 11. A poll shows a trend, no more. On the ground, I have no doubt that our voters are returning home – another week and another one, and it is happening. Right now we must not rest on our laurels but simply work hard.”
The general trend, he assured the interviewer, is of recovery. “There is no doubt that some wrong decisions we made hurt us, and as the person who stood at the head of this public campaign, I take full responsibility on myself. Mistakes are a part of our life – if you do nothing, you make no mistakes. The public needs to make an all-out effort now,” he added. “It is not enough that you convince yourself – you need to bring the close and intermediate circle surrounding you to the only Jewish Home we have.”
Bennett postulated that if the religious Zionist party had 15 MKs in 2005 and not three – the Disengagement would never have taken place. “If we have 15 or 17 seats, we will be able to push meaningfully for development of the settlement enterprise, for strengthening Israel's character as a Jewish country, for strengthening and budgeting the educational systems and the world of Torah.”