The National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu party has a new name: The National Union. Its three leaders - chairman Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu, Moledet leader Benny Elon, and Tekumah leader Tzvi Hendel - held a press conference today in Tel Aviv to launch their electoral campaign. Lieberman said, "These elections are critical, in that we will have to reach a genuine decision regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state and our relations to the Palestinians... It is now clear to all that terrorism is Israel's main problem, and without defeating it we will not be able to resolve our social and economic problems either. I am referring to the terrorist infrastructure of the Palestinian Authority; without destroying the PA, we will not be able to defeat terrorism." He said that the establishment of a Palestinian state "means the end of the State of Israel."
MK Elon said, "Once and for all, we want to prove that the right-wing can truly rule. We want to prove to the Likud that it has no self-confidence, but that together we can rule… It must be made clear to all that even if the Likud wins, in the end it will be the National Union's strength that will determine the nationalist character of the future government."
MK Hendel seconded Lieberman in saying that "the IDF never received an order to destroy the terror infrastructure." He added that he received much help from his secular Yisrael Beiteinu colleagues in the Knesset in advancing religious issues such as pre-military yeshiva academies, and that he in turn had helped out on new-immigrant issues.
MK Elon said, "Once and for all, we want to prove that the right-wing can truly rule. We want to prove to the Likud that it has no self-confidence, but that together we can rule… It must be made clear to all that even if the Likud wins, in the end it will be the National Union's strength that will determine the nationalist character of the future government."
MK Hendel seconded Lieberman in saying that "the IDF never received an order to destroy the terror infrastructure." He added that he received much help from his secular Yisrael Beiteinu colleagues in the Knesset in advancing religious issues such as pre-military yeshiva academies, and that he in turn had helped out on new-immigrant issues.