Moshe Feiglin
Moshe FeiglinFlash 90

Zehut Chairman Moshe Feiglin on Wednesday claimed that New Right Chairwoman Ayelet Shaked is not interested in maximizing the number of right-wing Knesset seats.

He also said he does not oppose a merger with the Otzma Yehudit party.

In an interview with Israel Radio, Feiglin said that it is "clear from what's happening here, that what will maximize the right-wing's strength is not what Shaked's goal is - she has another goal which she prioritizes more."

"We wanted to merge with the New Right, because that's where the public has real hesitations. It didn't happen because Ayelet decided that she didn't want it, for her own reasons. Could it be that Shaked isn't interested in maximizing the Right's power, and she has other interests? [Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu and the Likud also understand that merging the New Right, with Otzma Yehudit and other parties is the right merger, which won't leak votes to [Yisrael Beytenu Chairman MK Avigdor] Liberman or the Left.

"The door Ayelet Shaked is heading towards might cause Zehut and Otzma to enter the Knesset, and Ayelet Shaked and the New Right may also get in, but all of us together will be in the opposition, because the right-wing bloc won't have enough votes to create a government and Liberman will force a unity government, when everything we're supposed to protect - the Land of Israel, the values of the People of Israel - is thrown in the trash."

Regarding a possible merger between Otzma Yehudit and Zehut, Feiglin said: "Let's decide what the purpose is. The purpose is that Zehut's message and vision will reach the Knesset, and from the Knesset reach every home in Israel. As part of that purpose, we have extended our hand to every possible merger within the nationalist camp. Unfortunately, Ayelet Shaked decided that she is not willing to merge with two parties. One of those is Zehut, and the second is Otzma Leyisrael (the previous edition of Otzma Yehudit -ed.). It could be that if we have no choice, in order to ensure that Zehut's great vision enters the Knesset, we will make that merge with Otzma Leyisrael. It's not a natural merger."

Even if there are no mergers, Zehut will still run, Feiglin emphasized: "Zehut is running and at the end we will be victorious over everyone. We've already passed the electoral threshold in News 13's poll."

In most of the polls, Zehut fails to pass the threshold.