The Yamin Israel political party has announced that it will be running in the forthcoming Knesset elections. The party list will be headed by Professor Paul Eidelberg, followed by Eleonora Shifrin and Professor Israel Hanukoglu. Yamin Israel touts itself as the only party with a genuine national-religious program. In a press release, the party claims, “We offer what Israel lacks: (1) honesty and professionalism in government, and (2) empowerment of the people by means of direct election of Knesset members so as to make them individually accountable to the voters.”
The newly-formed religious party, Ahavat Yisrael, with aged Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri as its spiritual leader, is again in the news. Businessman Moshe Badash, who had a top spot on the party list, has inexplicably announced that he is resigning from the party. Ahavat Yisrael has had fits and starts ever since it was announced that it will be running in the coming elections as an alternative to Shas, which is under the guidance of Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef. Previous statements made by prospective Ahavat Yisrael leaders have indicated that the party would approach former Shas leader Aryeh Deri to head the Knesset faction, once elected.
Meanwhile, Shas party chief, Interior Minister Eli Yishai, said at an election rally last night in Jerusalem that there was no difference between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (Likud) and Labor party candidate, Amram Mitzna. Yishai said, “Mitzna promises a Palestinian state, Sharon promises a Palestinian state, Mitzna says ‘return the territories’, Sharon calls that ‘painful concessions...’ What’s the difference?” Yishai, apparently addressing the predicted shift of many of former Shas voters to the Likud, added that “a person who votes Likud will end up getting the [anti-religious] Shinui party [into power].”
In the Likud itself, MK Eli Cohen has demanded that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon resign from the party. The demand comes after Sharon’s declaration supporting the establishment of a “Palestinian state”. Cohen, who heads the Forum for Defending Likud Principles, sent Sharon a letter stating, “leave [the Likud] and establish your own party for yourself. As a member of Betar and a student of Jabotinsky, I cannot give up even one parcel [of the Land of Israel].”
The newly-formed religious party, Ahavat Yisrael, with aged Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri as its spiritual leader, is again in the news. Businessman Moshe Badash, who had a top spot on the party list, has inexplicably announced that he is resigning from the party. Ahavat Yisrael has had fits and starts ever since it was announced that it will be running in the coming elections as an alternative to Shas, which is under the guidance of Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef. Previous statements made by prospective Ahavat Yisrael leaders have indicated that the party would approach former Shas leader Aryeh Deri to head the Knesset faction, once elected.
Meanwhile, Shas party chief, Interior Minister Eli Yishai, said at an election rally last night in Jerusalem that there was no difference between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (Likud) and Labor party candidate, Amram Mitzna. Yishai said, “Mitzna promises a Palestinian state, Sharon promises a Palestinian state, Mitzna says ‘return the territories’, Sharon calls that ‘painful concessions...’ What’s the difference?” Yishai, apparently addressing the predicted shift of many of former Shas voters to the Likud, added that “a person who votes Likud will end up getting the [anti-religious] Shinui party [into power].”
In the Likud itself, MK Eli Cohen has demanded that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon resign from the party. The demand comes after Sharon’s declaration supporting the establishment of a “Palestinian state”. Cohen, who heads the Forum for Defending Likud Principles, sent Sharon a letter stating, “leave [the Likud] and establish your own party for yourself. As a member of Betar and a student of Jabotinsky, I cannot give up even one parcel [of the Land of Israel].”