MKs Yaakov Katz (Ketzaleh) and Uri Ariel of the National Union (NU) sent a letter to supporters Monday in which they forcefully denied that they had thrown MKs Michael Ben Ari and Aryeh Eldad from the NU list for the 19th Knesset.
Statements to this effect are untrue, they wrote. "We never agreed to personal disqualification of Michael Ben Ari! A realistic spot has been reserved for MK Ben Ari in the National Union party that will, with G-d's help, run in a common list with the Jewish Home.
The two Knesset members reminded their readers that in the 2006 elections, Ariel agreed to move from the 8th to the 9th slot, despite lesser chances of entering the Knesset, in order to preserve unity "with our friend MK Eldad."
Katz and Ariel added that they have been holding meetings with Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, MK Ben Ari and Ben Ari's longtime political partner Baruch Marzel. Another meeting with Rav Eliyahu will be held as soon as he returns from a trip abroad, they promised. "We will not give up" on achieving unity, they vowed.
An advertising campaign presently running on the internet in the name of MK Eldad accuses unnamed forces of splitting the National Union and calls for unity.