Effie Eitam, former leader of the National Religious Party (NRP) and Rabbi Yitzchak Levy bolted the NRP six months ago to form the Religious Zionist Renewal party after a lengthy dispute on the NRP's position in the former coalition government. The merged party will retain the name National Union, which includes the Tekumah and Moledet parties.
The NRP eventually followed Eitam and Levy and left the coalition because of the plan to expel the residents of Jewish Gaza and northern Samaria from their homes.
After lengthy negotiations, Eitam and Levy have decided to run together with National Union party leaders Benny Alon, Tzvi Hendel, Uri Ariel and Aryeh Eldad. The National Union party was elected with seven mandates, but the Yisrael Beiteinu Party's MKs Avigdor Lieberman and Michael Nudelman split away from the list. The other two National Union MKs are Eliezer Cohen and Yuri Stern. The merger left open the question which Knesset members will be the front runners for the list in the next election.
National Union leaders have forecast that the party will at least double its strength in the next elections, which are scheduled for next year but which most analysts predict will take place by December.
The leader of the merged parties will call on the NRP to join in order to present a solid nationalist front.
In another political development Sunday, Likud party members Shevah Stern and Natan Engelsman appealed to the party's court to expel Omri Sharon from the movement. Sharon, son of the Prime Minister, was indicted last week on charges of fraud.
Sharon's supporters said the petition has no chance in succeeding because he has only been indicted and not convicted.
The NRP eventually followed Eitam and Levy and left the coalition because of the plan to expel the residents of Jewish Gaza and northern Samaria from their homes.
After lengthy negotiations, Eitam and Levy have decided to run together with National Union party leaders Benny Alon, Tzvi Hendel, Uri Ariel and Aryeh Eldad. The National Union party was elected with seven mandates, but the Yisrael Beiteinu Party's MKs Avigdor Lieberman and Michael Nudelman split away from the list. The other two National Union MKs are Eliezer Cohen and Yuri Stern. The merger left open the question which Knesset members will be the front runners for the list in the next election.
National Union leaders have forecast that the party will at least double its strength in the next elections, which are scheduled for next year but which most analysts predict will take place by December.
The leader of the merged parties will call on the NRP to join in order to present a solid nationalist front.
In another political development Sunday, Likud party members Shevah Stern and Natan Engelsman appealed to the party's court to expel Omri Sharon from the movement. Sharon, son of the Prime Minister, was indicted last week on charges of fraud.
Sharon's supporters said the petition has no chance in succeeding because he has only been indicted and not convicted.