The talks are being led by MK Zevulun Orlev (NRP) and MK Rabbi Benny Elon (National Union). Their agenda included various issues, such as education, Jewish identity, social welfare and a new party image.
The NRP leader stated, "Today was a historic milestone for religious Zionism.” It meant, he said, the creation of a broad list that would include the entire religious camp from the Center and the Right.
It has been agreed that Benny Elon, as head of the larger party - the National Union has six Knesset mandates, while the NRP has four - would head the list, unless an agreed-upon outside candidate can be found.
Another issue considered to be critical is a clause stating that the joint party would not join a Sharon-led government unless any new diplomatic agreement is first presented to the public for a referendum.
Several MKs of both parties visited the Machpelah Cave together today, on what organizer MK Uri Ariel (National Union) called a "cohesion-building tour."
Polls show that the joint list can be expected to double the list of mandates currently held by both parties. In order to promote the cause of unity, a “Campaign for Unity in the National Camp” has been set up. One of its leaders, Adiel Bar-Shalom, stated that a drive is currently under way to canvas support from among senior army officers, students and first-time voters.
The group “Professors for a Strong Israel” has called upon the National Union and the NRP to merge. Promininent religious-Zionist rabbis have made a similar call.
The professors called for non-observant candidates to be given prominent places on the list. They also appealed to the candidates in the Likud leadership contest to declare, before the party primaries, their intention to create a joint bloc of the national camp as an alternative to a possible Sharon-Peretz-Meretz alliance.
Former MK Yisrael Eichler (Agudat Yisrael) told Arutz-7 that he hopes to forge an understanding between the religious-Zionist and hareidi-religious parties to avoid the "divide and conquer" strategy Sharon used against them so successfully in 2003-5. "First of all," he said, "their mutual goal has to be not to agree to a blow against religious education and the Jewish settlements... The parties must also have a hotline between them via which to share information on what is being offered them and what is being threatened."
The NRP leader stated, "Today was a historic milestone for religious Zionism.” It meant, he said, the creation of a broad list that would include the entire religious camp from the Center and the Right.
It has been agreed that Benny Elon, as head of the larger party - the National Union has six Knesset mandates, while the NRP has four - would head the list, unless an agreed-upon outside candidate can be found.
Another issue considered to be critical is a clause stating that the joint party would not join a Sharon-led government unless any new diplomatic agreement is first presented to the public for a referendum.
Several MKs of both parties visited the Machpelah Cave together today, on what organizer MK Uri Ariel (National Union) called a "cohesion-building tour."
Polls show that the joint list can be expected to double the list of mandates currently held by both parties. In order to promote the cause of unity, a “Campaign for Unity in the National Camp” has been set up. One of its leaders, Adiel Bar-Shalom, stated that a drive is currently under way to canvas support from among senior army officers, students and first-time voters.
The group “Professors for a Strong Israel” has called upon the National Union and the NRP to merge. Promininent religious-Zionist rabbis have made a similar call.
The professors called for non-observant candidates to be given prominent places on the list. They also appealed to the candidates in the Likud leadership contest to declare, before the party primaries, their intention to create a joint bloc of the national camp as an alternative to a possible Sharon-Peretz-Meretz alliance.
Former MK Yisrael Eichler (Agudat Yisrael) told Arutz-7 that he hopes to forge an understanding between the religious-Zionist and hareidi-religious parties to avoid the "divide and conquer" strategy Sharon used against them so successfully in 2003-5. "First of all," he said, "their mutual goal has to be not to agree to a blow against religious education and the Jewish settlements... The parties must also have a hotline between them via which to share information on what is being offered them and what is being threatened."