Rabbi Druckman calls for Yamina unity in face of possible Likud pressure
In a letter addressed to Bennett, Bayit Yehudi leader Rafi Peretz and National Union leader Bezalel Smotrich, Druckman called on the party heads to “preserve the unity” of the list.
By JEREMY SHARONPRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu with Rabbi Haim Druckman in 2012.(photo credit: AVI OHAYON/GPO/FLASH90)Rabbi Chaim Druckman, one of the most senior national-religious rabbis in the country, has called on the various components of the Yamina party to remain united in the face of efforts to split the joint list and leave Naftali Bennett’s New Right party out of the nascent coalition government.In a letter addressed to Bennett, Bayit Yehudi leader Rafi Peretz and National Union leader Bezalel Smotrich, Druckman called on the party heads to “preserve the unity” of the list.“Unfortunately, it is not impossible that there will be efforts to harm our unity. It is our duty to stand as one man with one heart and not to allow, God forbid, any attempt to divide us,” wrote the rabbi.With the overwhelming majority of ministerial portfolios having been allocated to Likud and Blue and White MKs, there is little left on the table for the six MKs of Yamina.The party has reportedly been offered the education ministry post, currently held by Peretz, and the Jerusalem Affairs Ministry, as well as a deputy minister position.The Likud and Blue and White need another three MKs for the 75 votes needed in Knesset to approve some of the clauses in the legislation required to secure the rotation deal between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz.Netanyahu adviser Natan Eshel has raised the possibility of splitting Bayit Yehudi and National Union off from New Right to secure the votes of their three MKs, while leaving New Right’s Bennett and Ayelet Shaked out of the coalition, who Netanyahu has a longstanding, bitter political feud with anyway.On Thursday, Yamina’s six MKs absented themselves from the Knesset plenum’s votes on the first reading of the coalition-forming legislation as a warning that it would not approve the bills if it was excluded from the new government.Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.
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