Bezalel Smotrich
Bezalel SmotrichEsty Dazyubov, TPS

Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich (National Union) is working to ensure that there is a single joint list to the right of the Likud party, a National Union source told Channel 12 News on Tuesday.

According to the source, Smotrich is weighing all the options, including running as part of a technical bloc with Defense Minister Naftali Bennett's New Right party.

The report noted that Smotrich hopes to lead the joint run by completely merging with the Jewish Home, or conducting a broad survey that will decide the makeup of the new list.

The same sources said that the National Union is currently negotiating with both the Jewish Home and New Right, and if the merge with the Jewish Home does not work out, Smotrich is simultaneously advancing the option to run in a technical bloc with the New Right.

On Monday, it was reported that MK Ayelet Shaked, who is also running with the New Right, is pressuring Minister Bennett to join with the other small right-wing parties, but Bennett is concerned that such unions will cause the party to lose the more liberal and secular right-wing voters.