Following weeks of negotiations, the National Union and National Religious Party (NRP) have reached an agreement to run as one consolidated list in the March 28 elections.
National Union MK Benny Elon will head the unified party, followed by NRP Chairman Zevulun Orlev. According to a poll
published Thursday, the united list is projected to gain six Knesset seats in the upcoming elections.
Talks between representatives had previously stalled due to failed meetings and mutual accusations, with National Union members expressing concern that Orlev would opt to break off from the unified list immediately after the elections, and join an Ehud Olmert-led government.
Eventually it was agreed that a “morality committee,” headed by retired judge Tzvi Tal, would oversee proceedings, in case the parties wish to split in the future.
The parties are maintaining their independence and are consolidating solely for the Knesset elections.
Meimad party officials slammed the NRP for the move, referring to it as a “sad day for religious Zionism.”
Meimad head Michael Melchior said the joining together of the parties constitutes “Orlev’s complete surrender, from a moral and Torah-related standpoint, to the extremist and dazed Torah of Effie Eitam an company, which stems from NRP’s fear that it will not gain even one Knesset seat in the elections.”
Meimad and Labor are also running as one list in the March 28 elections.
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