To Unite the Nat’l Religious Camp, U.S.-Born Candidates Offer Themselves as a Sacrifice
Latest update: September 3rd, 2012
print
tell a friend
Ari Abramowitz (far right) and Jeremy Gimpel (to the left of Abramowitz), candidates for the Jewish Home party's Knesset list, host Naftali Bennett (extreme left) and Minister of Science Daniel Hershkowitz, who are competing for the leadership of the party.
Photo Credit: Ari Abramowitz and Jeremy Gimpel Knesset Campaign
As the prospects for a merger between the two National Religious parties – the Jewish Home and the National Union – fall apart, the American-born candidate team, Ari Abramowitz and Jeremy Gimpel have said they would be willing to sacrifice their own potential spot on the Knesset list for the sake of unifying the national-religious camp.
“Our primary goal has never been to make it into the Knesset” but instead uniting the national-religious camp, the two said in a statement released to the press today.
Therefore they will not “endorse a leadership candidate that refuses to support unity between the factions within the religious Zionist camp”
In an e-mail statement they went further, cryptically stating that their support for unity may cost them a spot in the Knesset, but stating that it is “a price we are willing to pay.”
What’s the Hold up to Unity?
The unmentioned hold up to the potential merger referenced by Abramowitz and Gimpel is likely newcomer Naftali Bennett, who, according Lahav Harkov of the Jerusalem Post, said in a private meeting last week that if he were elected to the leadership of the Jewish Home, he would not allow three of the four Knesset Members of the National Union to run with the Jewish Home.
This would make it extremely unlikely that the National Union would agree to join with the Jewish home during the general elections. It would essentially mean agreeing to disappear to make way for the Jewish Home, even though they currently have four Knesset seats to the Jewish Home’s three.
Unsurprisingly, the National Union’s Knesset Members did not react well to the alleged statements.
Bennett’s campaign told The Jewish Press over the phone today that no such statements were ever made.
Bennett, who is competing for party leadership against current party chairman Minister of Science Rabbi Daniel Hershkowitz and MK Z’vulon Orlev, posted a statement on his facebook page today stating that “To remove all doubt, I support and urge the unity of the camp and to unite with the National Union party. I will work towards it with all my might. I won’t bar a single person. Period.”
The origin of the prospects for merger of the Jewish Home and National Union began earlier this year. When shortly after Pesach it seemed that early elections were imminent, the parties signed an agreement to run as a united list.
Since early elections didn’t occur, the agreement no longer applies. Nevertheless, there are many who want the joint list, including National Union Chairman MK Yaacov Katz.
Katz is one of the three MKs whom Bennett reportedly said he would not allow to run with the Jewish Home. The others were MKs Aryeh Eldad and Michal Ben-Ari. Bennett would reportedly be alright with MK Uri Ariel, the remaining National Union member.
The three on Bennett’s blacklist are considered to have bombastic political temperaments, unwilling to censor themselves, and Ben Ari and Katz in particular make a point of sticking it their opponents.
Ben Ari, for example, brought illegal African immigrants to swimming pools in posh areas of Tel Aviv. During the debate over his proposed “Arrangement Law” Katz said that anyone voting against the bill had “a heart of stone.”
But according to a political strategist who wished to remain anonymous, Bennett is not concerned with the party’s image, but making room on the list for his own political allies.
“Bennett has made many colossal errors,” the strategist said, “the biggest of which is that he has too many people that endorsed him – too many people he owes favors to.”
For Israeli politicians, who are chosen not in general elections, but by internal party mechanisms – often, but not always, primary elections, the real contest is securing a realistic, if not high spot on their party’s list.
If for example, a party gets 12 seats in the Knesset (10 percent of the vote), unlucky candidate number 13, will not get into the Knesset, no matter how popular he may be among the general public. The higher the candidate is on the list, the more likely he is to get into the Knesset and the more likely he is to be named a minister in the government if his party joins the coalition.
tell a friendAbout the Author: Daniel Tauber is a frequent contributor to various prominent publications, including the Jewish Press, Arutz Sheva, Americanthinker.com, the Jerusalem Post and Ha’aretz. Daniel is also an attorney admitted to practice law in Israel and New York and received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. You can follow him on facebook and twitter.
You might also be interested in:
You must log in to post a comment.
No Responses to “To Unite the Nat’l Religious Camp, U.S.-Born Candidates Offer Themselves as a Sacrifice”
3
Loading ...
what a bunch of idiot children – that are unworthy of being in the Knesset in any party – this juvenile decade of squabbling cost Gush Katif, Amona and now Migron – all the politicians in this article are incompetent to the core – and should be ignored – as for the sacrifice of the "american" candidates – they are newbies with zero experience and a sophmoric understanding of politics – they are acting like messiahs to the right wing – they will neither bring unity or positive change – they are much like newt gingrich – no chance to win – but will sell more tickets to TNL in the future – this whole circus is sickening…
by the way the last quote is pure idiocy – there is NO difference – these right-wing fools will be irrelevant no matter what happens in future – and surely the "campaign manager" (rofl) is not being honest – of course young jeremy and ari got a bitter taste of right-wing kindergarten politics and would be wise to back out before the stain their outreach/media efforts well-done with this insane and misguided move into politics – for which they are neither qualified or comprehend the situation…
Ari and Jeremy have run an amazing campaign re-energizing the right wing parties and finally setting the bar higher for everyone running. They have once again, through their most recent statements, affirmed that that their only goal is to do what is best for Israel and the Jewish people. They have put the unity of the Zionist factions ahead of their own Knesset campaign success – basically stating that their own seat(s) is not nearly as important as a united Zionist front.
To you who posted the previous nasty comments – politics can definitely be a circus – but it seems you are the clown here, and you are the one who doesn't seem to comprehend the situation.