Jewish Home Chairman MK Rabbi Rafi Peretz is trying to prevent Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked from returning to the party ahead of the new Knesset elections.
Rabbi Peretz asked the members of the secretariat of the Jewish Home not to make changes to the party constitution that will enable Shaked to rejoin the Jewish Home after she and Education Minister Naftali Bennett left the party to form the New Right party in December.
According to the existing constitution, a person running within the party must be a member of the Jewish Home for 18 months preceding the election.
Rabbi Peretz, who knows that Ayelet Shaked is very popular among voters, made it clear to the members of the secretariat that he did not intend to make a move that would allow her to return to the party.
In recent days, key activists in the Jewish House have approached Shaked and asked that she return to a leadership role within the party.
Earlier today, Shaked met with Education Minister Naftali Bennett in his office in Tel Aviv amid reports that the Likud may seek to recruit Shaked, and calls for Bennett to join her in moving to the Likud.
While Shaked is said to be seriously considering offers from the Likud, Bennett is expected to try to convince her to remain with the New Right for another election cycle.