Orlev (pictured, right), head of the National Religious Party, sent a letter at the end of last week to the National Union, Shas, and United Torah Judaism parties and their affiliates, in which he wrote:
"These days, following the implementation of the disengagement plan and the [problem] of the Gush Katif expellees, obligate us to read the situation correctly, in order to ensure the correct and appropriate political conclusions and decisions.
...Further disengagements are on the way: disengagement from Jewish education, from the State's Jewish identity, from social justice, and from clean-handedness in government.
[Our parties] stand for different things, but we share in common the concern for the Jewish education system, the State's Jewish identity, the religious services it provides, the widening of social gaps, and the destruction of the democracy. We all agree on the need for 'sur me'ra' [keeping away from bad], even if we have different ideas regarding how to 'aseh tov' [do good].
I feel that... we must enlarge the Jewish camp in general, and not fight amongst ourselves for the votes of our friends and supporters. I therefore propose that we establish the Jewish Camp Charter, which will set guidelines that will ensure that we not attack each other, and that our common goals are to add more supporters for our common values..."
Speaking later with Arutz-7, Orlev said that he sees the National Union party as a partner to this initiative even though it is not a religious party per se, "because it is a party of people who feel close to Jewish matters; that's why I didn't define this as a religious-camp charter, but a Jewish-camp charter."
He also includes the hareidi camp, even though there are significant disagreements regarding Land of Israel issues: "True, they are in the government, but in most cases they voted against the uprooting."
Orlev was asked, "But had they not sat in the government, there might not have been a need to have a vote on the disengagement altogether!" He responded, "Right now, we are looking for that which unites us, not the opposite."
Asked about the Religious Zionism Renewal party, formed by NRP-breakaways Effie Eitam and Yitzchak Levy, Orlev said, "We don't disqualify anyone. I didn't address the letter to them specifically as they are included in the National Union Party, with which they plan to run together in the elections. I didn't address the letter to the other National Union factions either, such as Tekumah."
Q. "Would you consider an election merger with the National Union?"
A. "That's a fourth-floor question; right now we are dealing with the underground foundations."
Responses to the letter from the other party leaders have not yet been forthcoming. If the call for mutual restraint is not answered, the NRP is likely to face heavy criticism for remaining in the government for almost a full year after Sharon announced his disengagement plan.
Over three weeks ago, National Union Party leader MK Benny Elon (pictured, left) said that his party and the NRP must unite on one political list for the upcoming elections, and that the entire right-wing camp must work together to prevent the same mistakes as were made in the past. He mentioned specifically "coalition mistakes," referring to the way in which right-wing parties joined the coalition without conferring with one another.
"We need now strong political power," Elon said last month. "All of our education and settlement activity is liable, Heaven forbid, to be destroyed because of the lack of political power. A union of all the right-wing parties is critical... Practically speaking, the NRP and the National Union must run together as one list; this is critical and could lead to 15-20 Knesset seats, and whoever blocks this union will pay a price."
Elon said that three fundamental concepts unite the parties: "No constitution [which, it is feared, will be formulated in a manner that will harm religious and national interests - ed.], concern for the integrity of the Land, and funding to Jewish education without discrimination... There must be a charter that will stipulate that no party enters the coalition without the others."
"These days, following the implementation of the disengagement plan and the [problem] of the Gush Katif expellees, obligate us to read the situation correctly, in order to ensure the correct and appropriate political conclusions and decisions.
...Further disengagements are on the way: disengagement from Jewish education, from the State's Jewish identity, from social justice, and from clean-handedness in government.
[Our parties] stand for different things, but we share in common the concern for the Jewish education system, the State's Jewish identity, the religious services it provides, the widening of social gaps, and the destruction of the democracy. We all agree on the need for 'sur me'ra' [keeping away from bad], even if we have different ideas regarding how to 'aseh tov' [do good].
I feel that... we must enlarge the Jewish camp in general, and not fight amongst ourselves for the votes of our friends and supporters. I therefore propose that we establish the Jewish Camp Charter, which will set guidelines that will ensure that we not attack each other, and that our common goals are to add more supporters for our common values..."
Speaking later with Arutz-7, Orlev said that he sees the National Union party as a partner to this initiative even though it is not a religious party per se, "because it is a party of people who feel close to Jewish matters; that's why I didn't define this as a religious-camp charter, but a Jewish-camp charter."
He also includes the hareidi camp, even though there are significant disagreements regarding Land of Israel issues: "True, they are in the government, but in most cases they voted against the uprooting."
Orlev was asked, "But had they not sat in the government, there might not have been a need to have a vote on the disengagement altogether!" He responded, "Right now, we are looking for that which unites us, not the opposite."
Asked about the Religious Zionism Renewal party, formed by NRP-breakaways Effie Eitam and Yitzchak Levy, Orlev said, "We don't disqualify anyone. I didn't address the letter to them specifically as they are included in the National Union Party, with which they plan to run together in the elections. I didn't address the letter to the other National Union factions either, such as Tekumah."
Q. "Would you consider an election merger with the National Union?"
A. "That's a fourth-floor question; right now we are dealing with the underground foundations."
Responses to the letter from the other party leaders have not yet been forthcoming. If the call for mutual restraint is not answered, the NRP is likely to face heavy criticism for remaining in the government for almost a full year after Sharon announced his disengagement plan.
Over three weeks ago, National Union Party leader MK Benny Elon (pictured, left) said that his party and the NRP must unite on one political list for the upcoming elections, and that the entire right-wing camp must work together to prevent the same mistakes as were made in the past. He mentioned specifically "coalition mistakes," referring to the way in which right-wing parties joined the coalition without conferring with one another.
"We need now strong political power," Elon said last month. "All of our education and settlement activity is liable, Heaven forbid, to be destroyed because of the lack of political power. A union of all the right-wing parties is critical... Practically speaking, the NRP and the National Union must run together as one list; this is critical and could lead to 15-20 Knesset seats, and whoever blocks this union will pay a price."
Elon said that three fundamental concepts unite the parties: "No constitution [which, it is feared, will be formulated in a manner that will harm religious and national interests - ed.], concern for the integrity of the Land, and funding to Jewish education without discrimination... There must be a charter that will stipulate that no party enters the coalition without the others."