Orlev: 'Time for war for Jewish identity'
National Religious Party calls for rightist merger
Party Chairman Zevulun Orlev calls for joint party list with National Union, but leaves question of who will lead rightist bloc unanswered
The National Religious Party party has agreed to the idea of running under a joint party list with the National Union in the next general elections, but has not yet said who should lead the new rightist bloc.
Stalling
Ilan Marciano
Will National Religious Party merge with National Union to present united front in next elections? NRP leader not sure yet
National Religious Party Chairman Zevulun Orlev announced at a press conference: "I call on the heads of the National Union to assemble, today, negotiations teams, based not on Knesset Members, but on loyal public officials who reflect the wide political base of religious Zionism and the conservative public."
"In order to prevent a personnel problem, I recommend that the head of the list won’t be someone who prevents the establishment of a joint list. I suggest that the head of the list be chosen from either the National Religious Party or National Union chairmen, through mutual talks and agreement."
Orlev has already begun allocating positions to his party, saying: "The National Religious Party would prefer to receive responsibility over social and economic issues. Due to the serious crisis of the educational system of Israel, the joint list would demand to receive the Education Ministry as a prerequisite for joining any government."
"Don't fight for the borders alone"
Orlev said that the rightist bloc should not only be involved in the struggle over Israel's border, but also in the war over Jewish identity. "Only in this way will everyone join the war for the land, and not only religious Zionism. A nation whose Jewish and Zionist identity isn't clear to it is in danger of losing its homeland," he said.
He added: "A Hesder Yeshiva soldier, paratrooper David Markovitz, who was a hero in the battle against Hizbullah, is in my eyes the living model of someone whose Zionist and Jewish identity is clear to him."
"The real political test is a test of action. The government is the front of operation and the opposition is the front of protest. We should strive for participation and involvement in the life of the State, and not to withdraw and collapse."
The National Union has welcomed Orlev's call.
