Jonathan Baransky
Jonathan BaranskySelf

Colonel (Res.) Jonathan Baransky announced Tuesday that he would submit his candidacy for head of the Jewish Home party and contest Naftali Bennett for the leadership position.

Baransky, a resident of Eli in Samaria, is married to Liora and a father of five. He left the army two and a half years ago after 25 years of combat service. Among other roles he served as Deputy Commander of the Gaza IDF division and director of staff at the Interdisciplinary Officer's Training school as well as commanding the Negev brigade and the Netzah Yehuda battalion.

During the previous elections Baransky supported the Yahad party headed by Eli Yishai.

"In the last few months I have been touring around the country and meeting with Jewish Home voters in every field of endeavor as well as seeing the man in the Israeli street. Everywhere I here the same tone: the connection is missing. The leadership of the Jewish Home party is detached from its voters," said Baransky.

"I decided to compete for head of the Jewish Home party and the political leadership of Religious Zionism in order to present a connected leadership, one that is in touch with the voter base, in touch with the values of Religious Zionism, attached to the people of Israel, the land of Israel and the Torah of Israel," he added, alluding to claims that Bennett does not emphasize the religious ideology of the party, to which his voter base remains loyal, because of his plans to be prime minister one day.

"I come with a great sense of mission. I was raised and educated all my life on Religious Zionist values," said Baransky, adding, however, that Naftali Bennett had brought a new spirit to the Religious Zionist community and placed it in its appropriate position in the national leadership.

"For this he should be congratulated. However the party now faces a historic crossroads and must decide whether to lose its unique character and relinquish its values or reconnect to voters and take its place as a strong Religious Zionist party which represents the values of Religious Zionism in education, economics, welfare, law, maintenance of the entire land of Israel and in all other facets of life. We need a connected leadership.I call on all those connected to the path of Religious Zionism to join me."