'Bennett, Peretz meet on new alliance for March elections'

Defense minister and education minister consider returning to joint run despite relatively poor showing in September 2019 union, which disbanded soon after the vote; Smotrich said mulling his own bid to lead right-wing bloc

Ynet, i24NEWS|01.09.20 | 12:46

Print Find an error? Report us

Related Topics

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The head of the New Right Party, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett, met Thursday with the Jewish Home-Tkuma chairman, Education Minister Rafi Peretz, to discuss the option of running in a unified bloc in the March 2 elections, Israel's Channel 12 reported.
Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter
Bennett formed New Right with former justice minister Ayelet Shaked in December 2018, after he left Jewish Home.
3 View gallery 
Naftali Bennett, left, and Rafi Peretz 
(Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)
The merger is expected to go ahead even though a similar agreement between parties to the right of Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud during September 2019 elections yielded just seven Knesset seats. 
The April 2019 elections saw Bennett's New Right fail to win enough votes to pass the 3.25% threshold and make it into parliament. 
3 View gallery 
L-R: Ayelet Shaked, Naftali Bennett, Bezalel Smotrich and Rafi Peretz 
In the September elections, however, the party joined forces with Jewish Home-Tkuma and National Union to form Yamina (rightwards) and won seven seats, three of which went to New Right when the alliance disbanded after the elections. 
On Wednesday, sources familiar with the matter told Channel 12 that Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the head of Jewish Home's partner Tkuma, is planning to lead his own joint bloc that would position itself to the right of the Likud.
According to the sources, Smotrich is considering all options, including running as a bloc with New Right.
3 View gallery 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting with heads of the right-wing parties after the September 2019 elections 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week called on the heads of the right-wing parties to unite to run on a joint slate.
“Two lists could fall under the threshold and bring about a left-wing government,” Netanyahu tweeted. 
The New Right replied: “We appreciate Netanyahu’s concern [but] we will continue on our mission.”

1Comments

1.

bennett may want to run on his own brand

Bennett at defense continues handling the portfolio as h e has-sobre, decisive, on the offense as opposed to bibi who is nervous, insecure, defensive minded in a limited fashion and who is prone to errors and poor leadership(meshall hit, open excavation in Jerusalem where many soldiers were killed, and 2 lacklustre gaza wars, the last one where bibi stunk to high heaven). Bennett running on his own can gain 12 seats if he handles some challenges from nasrollah before the elections. Israelis who pine for mr security have only been getting empty gestures and freezes from hot air netanyahu and quiet do nothings from gantz. Israel cannot be overly ambitious but must be on the offense andnot fight with one arm tied behind its back. so bennett does not need to drag peretz with him. and if bibi decides to limit Bennett because of sheer jealousy, then Bennett can talk to gantz about switching and getting the defense portfolio in a new govt. that would keep bibi from interfering in security matters. so far, Bennett is far better than yaalon, bibi, gantz and and blow hard lieberman (who for alll his bluster was bibi #2)

morris| 01.09.20

10