Preliminary talks are being held between the National Religious Party (NRP) and the National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu party regarding a possible merger. As NRP leader Rabbi Yitzchak Levy told Arutz-7 today, however, it depends on many factors - not least of which is whether the two parties are both on the same side of the government or not.
Rabbi Levy, whose daughter Ayelet HaShachar was the first female victim of the Rosh HaShanah Arab Assault - she was murdered in a carbomb blast in Jerusalem one year ago today, on the 4th of Cheshvan - said, \"I am first of all in favor of maximum cooperation between our respective parties. However, we must wait a while and see how things develop. We certainly cannot join together if they are in the government while we are in the opposition.\" He said that under the current circumstances, he would recommend that the NUYB party stick with its original decision and leave the government:
\"If the government has truly changed its approach, and is truly preparing to strike a real blow against Palestinian terrorism, then we would also be happy to join the government. But at present I can\'t say that I am convinced that the government has truly changed, because Peres\' line is still strongly supported. If when Peres returns from the U.S. we see the tanks withdrawing and all the closures opening up and the situation reverts to the way it was a few days ago, then we have done nothing.\"
MK Tzvi Hendel (NUYB), a former member of the NRP, told Arutz-7 that he is very much in favor of the two parties joining together, \"and I would even invite Yisrael B\'Aliyah to join too. The larger our bloc is, the more efficiently we can act for Eretz Yisrael.\" MK Benny Elon, who is slated to take over the leadership of the National Union part of NUYB following the assassination of Minister Rehavam Ze\'evi, said that he is also in favor, in principle, but that many aspects still need to be investigated.
Rabbi Levy, whose daughter Ayelet HaShachar was the first female victim of the Rosh HaShanah Arab Assault - she was murdered in a carbomb blast in Jerusalem one year ago today, on the 4th of Cheshvan - said, \"I am first of all in favor of maximum cooperation between our respective parties. However, we must wait a while and see how things develop. We certainly cannot join together if they are in the government while we are in the opposition.\" He said that under the current circumstances, he would recommend that the NUYB party stick with its original decision and leave the government:
\"If the government has truly changed its approach, and is truly preparing to strike a real blow against Palestinian terrorism, then we would also be happy to join the government. But at present I can\'t say that I am convinced that the government has truly changed, because Peres\' line is still strongly supported. If when Peres returns from the U.S. we see the tanks withdrawing and all the closures opening up and the situation reverts to the way it was a few days ago, then we have done nothing.\"
MK Tzvi Hendel (NUYB), a former member of the NRP, told Arutz-7 that he is very much in favor of the two parties joining together, \"and I would even invite Yisrael B\'Aliyah to join too. The larger our bloc is, the more efficiently we can act for Eretz Yisrael.\" MK Benny Elon, who is slated to take over the leadership of the National Union part of NUYB following the assassination of Minister Rehavam Ze\'evi, said that he is also in favor, in principle, but that many aspects still need to be investigated.