MK Nir Orbach, formerly of the Yamina party, is still weighing his next moves in politics in advance of the November elections to the 25th Knesset. As for Yamina itself, it's already a thing of the past, now that party leader Ayelet Shaked has teamed up with the Derech Eretz party of Yoaz Hendel and Zvi Hauser to form the new Zionist Spirit party.
"I've been meeting with people from Likud," Orbach told Reshet Bet in an interview. "They promised me that they would do what they could to ensure that I'll be in the next government. These are people I trust, people whose word I respect," he clarified. "When the last government collapsed, there was an immense amount of pressure on me to join Likud, and I refused," he added.
Asked to comment on the new Zionist Spirit party, Orbach said, "Those who support Yamina today are not Religious-Zionists. I doubt that there's even half a Knesset seat of Religious-Zionists among their supporters.
"I told Shaked that I'm waiting to see the direction her new party is going, and I also told her that she can't have it both ways -- you can't be soft-right on national issues, on the economy, and still try to adapt your message to whomever you're addressing at the time. I think Ayelet is making a big mistake, and that what's she's done will only reduce the number of people voting for her and decrease the likelihood of her party crossing the electoral threshold."
Most recent polls have indeed shown Yamina failing to gain the 3.25% of the national vote needed to enter the Knesset (this translates to four seats).
Meanwhile, Yamina MK Matan Kahana explained on Thursday why he is opposed to the formation of yet another narrow coalition of just 61 Knesset members.
"In recent days, I've been asked why I'm so insistent on a broad government," he wrote on his Facebook page. "After all, if I'm part of a narrow government that needs my vote, then I can get them to agree to whatever I want. But this isn't about me. A ministerial position isn't what interests me. Having a broad government that is based on the primary forces in Israeli society is a thousand times more important than what portfolio I'll receive.
"Having a narrow government at this point in time would be terrible for the country," he added. "It won't enable us to address any of the fundamental challenges that we're facing. That's why I'll do everything I can to see that a broad government is formed."