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Gilad Erdan says Unity Party weighs alliances, seeks broad government without radicals - interview

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Interview Named sources Ongoing story
  • Gilad Erdan said his newly formed right-wing Unity party is considering alliances before next week’s deadline for submitting election lists.
  • He said a merger could help parties that are polling below the electoral threshold avoid wasting votes.
  • Erdan called for a broad government that bridges Israel’s political camps rather than relying on narrow coalitions.

Gilad Erdan says Israel’s newly formed Unity party may need partners to survive the electoral threshold. With the deadline for submitting party lists approaching next week, the former ambassador to the United Nations told The Jerusalem Post that Unity is considering alliances to strengthen its electoral prospects.

Unity has failed to pass the threshold on its own in recent polling. Reports have linked Erdan to possible mergers with Benny Gantz’s Blue and White or Chili Tropper’s Zionist Home-The Reservists party, both of which have also polled below the threshold. Erdan and Unity’s second candidate, Yuli Edelstein, are former Likud members.

I still do believe that once we show the public a few parties together that are already above the political threshold, it will give a real boost to people to vote for us because they will know almost for sure that the vote is not going to be wasted.

· Gilad ErdanErdan explained why Unity is considering alliances with other small parties.

“I still do believe that once we show the public a few parties together that are already above the political threshold, it will give a real boost to people to vote for us because they will know almost for sure that the vote is not going to be wasted,” Erdan said.

The party presents itself as right-wing and supports universal Israel Defense Forces conscription. Its emergence comes as tensions grow over haredi conscription and some right-wing voters express dissatisfaction with the parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.

I’m positively confident that there are many people who have had enough of the divisions from narrow governments and from the fact that one side only wants to destroy or topple the other side.

· Gilad ErdanHe argued for a broader governing coalition.

Erdan said Israel needs a broad government capable of bringing together both sides of the political spectrum. “I’m positively confident that there are many people who have had enough of the divisions from narrow governments and from the fact that one side only wants to destroy or topple the other side,” he said.

Asked whether he would join a Netanyahu-led government, Erdan said Unity sought to bridge the political divide rather than exclude one side. “We want to be the political force that will demand bridging and connecting the two political sides.” He said the party would not boycott others, but would require potential partners to accept its principles.

We want to be the political force that will demand bridging and connecting the two political sides.

· Gilad ErdanErdan described Unity’s intended role after the election.
About this summary

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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