Is the Israeli Right in trouble?

Survey: Many right-wing parties would not pass the Knesset threshold if elections were to be held today.

By ZACK EVANS
Updated: FEBRUARY 14, 2019 13:45
Avigdor Liberman (L) and Ayelet Shaked (R) at past Jerusalem Post conferences (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Avigdor Liberman (L) and Ayelet Shaked (R) at past Jerusalem Post conferences
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Many of the smaller right-wing parties would not enter the Knesset if elections were held today, according to a survey conducted by i24News and Israel Hayom. Those parties are Kulanu, Yisrael Beytenu, Bayit Yehudi, National Union, and Otzma Yehudit.
Thus, if elections were held today, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) and former defense minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) would not return to the government.
In order to gain seats in the Knesset in the upcoming election, a party must pull in more than 3.25% of the total vote, more than in previous elections. The survey found that none of the parties mentioned would pass that threshold.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked both recently called for the far-right parties and National-Religious parties (Bayit Yehudi, National Union, and Otzma Yehudit) to unite, so as not to lose Knesset seats to left-wing parties. National-Religious rabbis also advocated for a merger.