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Zehut party leader to run in elections on joint list with ex-Otzma Yehudit chair

From Jerusalem Post · (5h ago) English Mixed tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Zehut party leader Moshe Feiglin and former Otzma Yehudit chair Michael Ben-Ari have agreed to form a joint political list for the upcoming elections.
  • The alliance aims to provide a strong political home for the faith-based nationalist public in Israel, advocating for Jewish identity, sovereignty, and decisive military action.
  • The joint party's platform includes ending 'containment and conflict management' policies, expelling 'terrorist elements,' and applying full Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank and Gaza.

In a significant move for the Israeli right, Moshe Feiglin's Zehut party and Michael Ben-Ari, formerly of Otzma Yehudit, have joined forces. This alliance, born from a shared understanding of the need for a robust political platform for the nationalist and faith-based public, signals a clear intent to challenge the status quo in Israeli politics. The unified list promises to champion core values of freedom, sovereignty, and a distinct Jewish identity, resonating with a segment of the electorate seeking a more assertive national direction.

The newly formed joint party explicitly rejects the prevailing 'containment and conflict management' strategy. Instead, they advocate for a decisive military victory, the conquest of territories within the biblical Land of Israel from which attacks have originated, and the expulsion of terrorist elements. This uncompromising stance, coupled with a call for renewed Jewish settlement across the country, underscores their vision of full Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank and Gaza. This approach represents a clear departure from incremental policies, aiming for a fundamental reshaping of the region's political and territorial landscape.

Furthermore, the alliance emphasizes strengthening Israel's character as a Jewish state and restoring power to its elected representatives. Their platform includes libertarian economic policies, such as the legalization of cannabis, and a commitment to reducing bureaucratic 'shackles' on citizens. This blend of far-right security policies and libertarian economic ideals, alongside a focus on encouraging aliyah and strengthening the Jewish people's connection to their homeland, presents a unique and potent ideological package. This joint list is poised to be a significant factor in the upcoming elections, offering a distinct alternative for voters seeking a more nationalistic and ideologically driven political force.

Our policy advocates total defeat of the enemy, conquest of all territories from which we have been attacked that are within the borders of the biblical Land of Israel, expulsion of terrorist elements there, and the application of full Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank and Gaza.

โ€” Zehut and Otzma Yehudit joint party statementOutlining the party's security and territorial policy.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.