Israeli Elections
“The views of Otzma Yehudit are reprehensible. They do not reflect the core values that are the very foundation of the State of Israel,” said AJC in a statement.
The two men sought to promote themselves as centrist politicians seeking to unite the country after a decade of right-wing leadership.
The new political alliance, which seeks to be an alternative to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party in the upcoming elections, has sent shockwaves throughout the Israeli political scene ahead of the deadline for political parties to register their lists for the election.
Hours before the deadline to submit party lists for the April elections, new mergers on the left and right prompt Labor leader Avi Gabbay to try and work out a deal with the far-left Meretz Party.
In a turbulent race to seal alliances and set lists before the Thursday-night deadline heading up to the April 9 elections, Israeli political parties Yesh Atid and Israel Resilience announced that they would run together in a bid to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I risked my life, time after time for the country,” prime minister says after Israel Resilience Party leader Benny Gantz inexplicably decides to attack the prime minister’s army service, of all things • Gantz announces party ticket, seeks possible merger with Yesh Atid.
Zehut Party leader Moshe Feiglin says he sees no difference between Meretz, New Right and Yesh Atid • Zehut will get youth vote • Announcing party’s Knesset list, Yisrael Beytenu head Lieberman says he hopes to make double-digit Knesset seats.
As right-wing parties in the Knesset seek to unite ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections in April, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu postponed a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The religious Zionist Jewish Home and National Union parties have agreed to run with the staunch nationalist Otzma Yehudit Party in an effort to form a strong right-wing bloc for the upcoming elections.
Still adrift after being kicked out of the Zionist Union, Hatnua leader Tzipi Livni announces her departure from politics less than a week before the deadline to submit final Knesset lists • Livni: “I am leaving politics, but not the hope for peace.”
Channel 12 predicts 30 seats for Likud, 18 for Israel Resilience, 12 for Yesh Atid • Labor gains after primaries, jumps to 10 seats • Seven seats projected for New Right and Ta’al Arab Party • Habayit Hayehudi-National Union hover at minimum threshold.
Histadrut labor federation chairman Avi Nissankoren joins Israel Resilience Party list • In an apparent effort to save face should talks on merger fail, Yesh Atid says “clarifications” are needed from Israel Resilience on party’s policies on core issues.
