Jewish Home chief Rabbi Rafi Peretz expressed confidence Tuesday morning that his party would reach an agreement with the National Union faction for a joint run in this April’s Knesset elction.
Speaking at the 16th annual Jerusalem Conference on Tuesday, Peretz, who was tapped to lead the Jewish Home party earlier this month after Naftali Bennett bolted to form the New Right, struck a reconciliatory tone towards the National Union.
Peretz said he views National Union chief “Bezalel Smotrich as a friend, as a brother,” and vowed that the Jewish Home and National Union would run together.
“The negotiations are advancing. There is no other option besides a joint run.”
Over the weekend, talks between the two sides broke down, prompting Peretz to pursue a technical bloc with the Likud – an offer the Likud later declined.
Following the rejection, the Jewish Home and National Union renewed their talks towards a joint bid.
“My first mission is to link up with and run together with the National Union,” continued Peretz. “And as quickly as possible.”
Peretz declined to say whether he would support a joint list with the Otzma Yehudit party, a faction led by members of the now defunct Kach party of Rabbi Meir Kahane.
“In the end, we’ll have to find a way to bring together the [right-wing] bloc which includes Otzma Yehudit, but first we have to finish [negotiations] with our natural partners, the National Union.”