Ayelet Shaked
Ayelet ShakedKobi Richter/TPS

Yemina party chairwoman Ayelet Shaked blasted Sport and Culture Minster Miri Regev (Likud) Tuesday morning, accusing the minister of leading the effort to block her from joining the Likud following the defeat of the New Right in the April elections.

Shaked pushed back against claims by Regev that she had “begged to be let into the Likud”, and derided Regev as an opportunist.

“Miri Regev invented the word ‘opportunist’ in politics,” Shaked told Galei Tzahal – Army Radio, saying Regev “debated whether to join the Likud or Labor” when she entered politics, “was an enthusiastic spokeswoman for the Gaza Disengagement, and lied about there being an alliance between [Naftali] Bennett and [Yair] Lapid. She was afraid, and didn’t want me to join the Likud.”

Shaked recalled her efforts to join the Likud, after the New Right failed to cross the electoral threshold in the April election, and Regev’s push to bar her from joining.

“When we didn’t cross the threshold, my plan was to join the Likud. Miri Regev was the one who turned to senior Likud officials and said that she was opposed.”

“I recommend ignoring what she says, it’s just background noise.”

Following Shaked’s comments, Regev tweeted a response, calling Shaked’s unification of the New Right and Jewish Home parties “opportunism”, following her sudden departure from the Jewish Home last December.

“I see that someone has managed to disturb Ayelet Shaked’s peace of mind. The woman who left a party with massive debts, returned to it after losing an election. If that isn’t opportunism, I don’t know what is.”