Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is religious, has backtracked on key religious issues, aligning himself with the center-left's anti-religious bloc.
In an interview with Army Radio, Bennett said that he supports allowing public transportation on Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath) and pushed civil marriage.
"I am in favor of every Israeli being able to get where they need to go," he said. "I think we should let each city decide its character. For example, in a haredi city like Bnei Brak there would be no public transportation, while in a city like Tel Aviv it would be decided that there is public transportation. This is respect."
Regarding same-sex marriage, he added: "Every person in Israel should be able to realize their love in the country and not [have to] travel abroad. I support marriage for anyone who wants it. My compass on this issue is common sense and fairness."
Democrats party chairman Yair Golan responded: “Bennett, welcome. Civil marriage in a liberal democratic state is an essential thing. This is our Judaism, and we will demand it in the basic guidelines of the next government. You’ve come a long way from the Jewish Home [party] to here. It’s good to see that even in politics there are positive surprises, and that even on the Right they understand that only a strong liberal Israel will prevail."
He added, "I hope that Bennett's journey will continue one more step toward the necessary understanding that diplomatic processes, abandoning annexation fantasies, and courageous decisions are the only correct path to real security."
The Shas party responded: "One who, for the sake of politics, is willing to sell the State's Jewish identity - the holy Shabbat and marriage according to the law of Moses and Israel - is not far from the day he also sells the Land of Israel and settlement in Judea and Samaria."
Bennett began his political journey in the Religious Zionist "Jewish Home" party, which later merged into the "New Right" party, later renamed "Yamina." After he became Prime Minister, he left politics for a few years, but now he is expected to run again, this time at the helm of a new centrist party.