NU head reveals plans for uniting with Habayit Hayehudi

NU head reveals plans fo

By MATTHEW WAGNER
The head of the National Union Party, Ya'acov "Ketzele" Katz, announced Tuesday during a conference that in the coming days, his party would be meeting with members of Habayit Hayehudi to negotiate reuniting the two parties in the near future. "I have been working for unity with all my heart since I was chosen to head the National Union," said Katz at a conference sponsored by the religious Zionist weekly Be'sheva in Jerusalem. "Things are moving forward, and in the coming days there will be a meeting between the two parties, and I think that the National Union and Habayit Hayehudi will be together. This will create a launching base to realize the religious Zionist public's potential political power," he said. "We have to strive to be at the forefront of the country's leadership - defense ministers, finance ministers, and to take over the premiership as well," he declared. MK Zevulun Orlev of Habayit Hayehudi said in response that he knew nothing of plans to unite the two parties. "It is strange to me that the National Union, a party that reneged on the unity agreement at the last minute, is now talking about unity," he said. However, fellow Habayit Hayehudi MK Uri Orbach said that he was aware of attempts at reuniting the two parties. "It will take some time, if it happens at all," he said. "I believe in the idea, and we are taking preliminary steps toward first-stage talks."