Following the request by Yamina earlier this week to split into two factions, New Right and Habayit Hayehudi-National Union, over technical constraints, on Thursday, the Knesset Regulating Committee approved the split.
MK Matan Kahane represented New Right in the committee meeting and MK Ophir Sofer spoke on behalf of Habayit Hayehudi-National Union.
As part of the Yamina split, Habayit Hayehudi-National Union will have four MKs and will be headed by Education Minister Rabbi Rafi Peretz, with Transport Minister Bezalel Smotrich, MK Moti Yogev and MK Ophir Sofer.
The New Right will have only three MKs: Ayelet Shaked, Naftali Bennett and Matan Kahane.
National Union Chairman Bezalel Smotrich stated that he would work to unite the two parties yet again, and set up a special team to promote this move. At the same time, Habayit Hayehudi issued an action plan to reconnect the various groups inside religious Zionism, for a return to a unified Habayit Hayehudi party.
An analysis of the recent election results shows that the majority of the Yamina votes came from New Right voters, while Habayit Hayehudi and the National Union lost thousands of votes to Otzma Yehudit.
