MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home-United Right) on Wednesday called on the Religious Zionist parties to run together in the expected upcoming elections.
Currently, there is a joint Jewish Home-National Union list, as well as the Otzma Yehudit party, which did not win Knesset representation, and the more liberal New Right party.
In an interview with Kol Barama Radio, Yogev said: "We saw during the past year that no branch of Religious Zionism has electoral security on its own. It would be appropriate to run as a technical bloc or find other ways of connecting all the Religious Zionists."
"All types of Religious Zionism need to unite into a single party or single faction, even if we don't agree on everything, so that we will not lose votes from Religious Zionists. We need to reach the next elections in a situation where all of Israel, including this group, does not lose two, three, or four Knesset seats, so that we can influence the next government.
"If the parties are unable to reach an agreement, then at least a technical bloc or single faction should be formed. That's what we have seen in the past, and that's what we've seen recently. We lost less votes in these elections than we did in the previous round of elections."
Yogev also said that a full union between the Jewish Home and National Right parties, which have run together since 2013, "should have been done a long time ago, and it should happen as soon as possible."
When asked his opinion on having open primaries for a large Religious Zionist party, Yogev said, "As long as time permits, and maybe in order to build power, then it would be appropriate to do this, after we raise awareness and explain why we need a Religious Zionist party which will be large, broad, and include anyone who believes in this path, from the entire religious spectrum. Primaries will be held if there is time for them."
"What will be possible if we run to elections in another seventy or ninety days? This seems the proper path to return the public's faith in a Religious Zionist party. Can that be done within a short time? I don't know, we need to talk about that. These are the appropriate principles in my opinion."