Member of the Jewish Home party’s Central Committee gathered Monday evening to confirm the party’s unification with Tekuma and to present its official joint list for the 20th Knesset.
“First of all I want to send a complete recovery to our friend (and fellow party member) Uri Orbach,” Jewish Home’s Chairman Naftali Bennett said.
“Today we are taking another step forward to lead the State of Israel. The question in this upcoming election is Tzipi or Bennett. This time Jewish Home will rule,” he emphasized.
The Economy Minister then attacked journalist Nahum Barnea following his latest critical column in newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth against Jewish Home.
“This morning I opened Yedioth Ahronoth, and what do I see? Barnea called me a demagogue, a criminal, childish, and rude. He said we are the craziest party in the Knesset.”
“Maybe Moti Yogev – a reserve brigadier commander – is crazy, and Rabbi Ben-Dahan who fights for the right of agunot [women whose husbands won’t divorce them], or Ayelet Shaked who left everything to give her soul for the people of Israel …Mr. Barnea, who are you calling crazy? Maybe you haven’t noticed that half a million Israelis joined this crazy party. Mr. Barnea, you’re left alone.”
Moving to more positive commentary, Bennett addressed the party’s Knesset list.
“We are opening Jewish Home to everyone – even Barnea and [Channel Two News anchor Amnon] Abramovich. We have an amazing nation. We do not measure anyone according to whether he wears a yarmulke or tzitzit [ritual fringes]. A Jew is a Jew is a Jew.”
“I’m proud of this wonderful party and I’m proud of Uri Ariel and Orit Struk and I’m proud of everyone. [Elections] require our inner strength, especially from the older generation.”
“We bring forward today the agreement with Tekuma,” he continued. “There are not two heads. There is one head with one message.”
Tekuma Chairman and Housing Minister Uri Ariel also welcomed the approval of the joint list.
“I congratulate my Jewish Home colleagues in their commitment to the continuation of our joint religious Zionist platform, just as we in Tekuma approved the unification a month ago.”
“It is time to act to increase the power of Jewish Home in the upcoming elections,” Ariel stressed. “With God’s help, Jewish Home will continue to grow for the benefit of the people of Israel, the Torah of Israel, and the land of Israel.”
