Two small right-wing parties have announced a merger: Herut, headed by MK Michael Kleiner, and Yamin Yisrael [Israel Right], headed by Prof. Paul Eidelberg. In a recent visit to Arutz-7 studios, Kleiner said that his party is "on the border" of receiving sufficient support for a Knesset representation - such that the merger with Yamin Yisrael might push them over the top. Yamin Yisrael announced today that Kleiner is "a staunch and courageous nationalist" and that Herut has endorsed Yamin Yisrael's calls for "electoral and institutional reform in the shape of the adoption of a constitution based on Jewish principles and values, including personal election of Knesset Members and a presidential system to replace multi-party cabinet government."
Herut submitted its list of Knesset candidates today to the Elections Board. The first seven are:
1. MK Michael Kleiner; 2. Baruch Marzel of Hevron; 3. Lod city councilman Eliyahu Sa'ar of Israel Aircraft Industries; 4. Temple Mount expert and educator Michael Ben-Ari; 5. Elionora Shifrin, chairperson of Yamin Yisrael; 6. Noam Livnat of Elon Moreh (brother of the Education Minister); 7. Prof. Paul Eidelberg, President of Yamin Yisrael.
Baruch Marzel, asked by Arutz-7 today if he thinks his new party can pass the minimum threshold of votes required for Knesset representation, said he would not have agreed to join had he not been sure of it: "A few groups have joined up with us - Yamin Yisrael, people from Israel Aircraft Industries, a group of immigrants from Russia and elsewhere, etc. - and I am sure that we will receive enough votes."
Marzel had strong criticism of National Union leader Avigdor Lieberman for his support of the Hevron and Wye agreements, his call for public transportation on Shabbat, his statement that a Palestinian state 'is already a fact,' and more. He rejected claims that his party would siphon off and thus "waste" votes from other right-wing parties: "Anyone who votes for the Likud, NRP, or National Union is not voting for a right-wing alternative in any event… We turned to the National Union, and they did not want to join up with us."
Herut submitted its list of Knesset candidates today to the Elections Board. The first seven are:
1. MK Michael Kleiner; 2. Baruch Marzel of Hevron; 3. Lod city councilman Eliyahu Sa'ar of Israel Aircraft Industries; 4. Temple Mount expert and educator Michael Ben-Ari; 5. Elionora Shifrin, chairperson of Yamin Yisrael; 6. Noam Livnat of Elon Moreh (brother of the Education Minister); 7. Prof. Paul Eidelberg, President of Yamin Yisrael.
Baruch Marzel, asked by Arutz-7 today if he thinks his new party can pass the minimum threshold of votes required for Knesset representation, said he would not have agreed to join had he not been sure of it: "A few groups have joined up with us - Yamin Yisrael, people from Israel Aircraft Industries, a group of immigrants from Russia and elsewhere, etc. - and I am sure that we will receive enough votes."
Marzel had strong criticism of National Union leader Avigdor Lieberman for his support of the Hevron and Wye agreements, his call for public transportation on Shabbat, his statement that a Palestinian state 'is already a fact,' and more. He rejected claims that his party would siphon off and thus "waste" votes from other right-wing parties: "Anyone who votes for the Likud, NRP, or National Union is not voting for a right-wing alternative in any event… We turned to the National Union, and they did not want to join up with us."