Rabbi Lior to right-wing leaders: If attempts at unity fail, run alone

Bayit Yehudi ran together with National Union in three of the last four elections.

Rabbi Dov Lior (photo credit: Courtesy)
Rabbi Dov Lior
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Rabbi David Lior, a senior rabbi within the religious Zionist movement, said that if the Bayit Yehudi and National Union parties do not manage to unify and run together in the April 9 election, they should run independently.
In a letter sent overnight to the heads of the National-Religious sector, Lior wrote that all efforts should be made for the “Torah-true” factions to come together and increase their representation in the Knesset, according to a report by Israel National News. But, he continued, “if attempts at unity fail, you must run alone to save the tens of thousands of votes from the powerful supporters of our Holy Land.”
On Monday night it was reported that there is increasing opposition within Bayit Yehudi to working with the right-wing National Union and that newly elected National Union chairman Bezalel Smotrich was also in no hurry to make such a connection.
Earlier in the week, Smotrich slammed newly appointed Bayit Yehudi head Rafi Peretz, asking, “Can he lead a negotiation? Did he ever conduct a poll?”
Bayit Yehudi ran together with National Union in three of the last four elections.