New religious party unveiled

JERUSALEM - The new Religious Zionism party was unveiled in Jerusalem today, amid talk of uniting right-wing parties into a bloc that could challenge the ruling Likud party. Former National Religious Party Knesset Members Effie Eitam and Yitzhak Levy held the new faction’s first convention today, with hundreds of activists in attendance. The new party enjoys the backing of leading rabbi Shlomo Aviner. The fate of the Land of Israel and the Torah hinges on the people, Eitam said during the meeting. “This ancient people is facing danger now…its leadership wants to expel women and children and uproot graves,” he said. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wants to paint religious Zionism as illegitimate, Eitam said, and pledged to unite all right-wing parties into one bloc that would take the place of Likud, which he said “lost its way.” 'A split is an immoral act' National Religious Party members expressed their fury over Eitam and Levy’s decision to split from the faction, and recalled words spoken by Levy himself in opposition to a split in 1999. “A split is an immoral act,” Levy said at the time. NRP Chairman Zevulun Orlev expressed his regret over Eitam and Levy’s decision, despite what he said were intense efforts to maintain the party’s unity. “From now on the NRP would deal with religious Zionism’s relevant agenda, centered around Jewish education and the Jewish home,” he said. National Union Chairman Benny Elon, meanwhile, called on the new faction to join his party, and said “Sharon’s treachery…requires the entire Zionist religious camp and Land of Israel loyalists to come under one roof, that of the National Union.” “The power of unity is immense,” Elon said, “The National Union and all National Religious Party factions should run together in the next elections.”

New religious party unveiled

Religious Zionism party holds first convention; leader vows to merge all right-wing parties and take Likud’s place