Sources in the Jewish House and Jewish Power appealed to former Shas chairman to contact them • Yishai has not yet responded • At the same time, right are awaiting Smutrich's decision

• Eli Yishai // Photo: Dudi Vaaknin

Factors in the unified list of the "Jewish Home - Jewish Power" have in recent days sent messages to former environment minister Eli Yishai about whether he would like to cooperate with them in preparing for joint elections. This is only a preliminary message and at this stage it is unclear what Yishai's response to it is.

The former Shas chairman is very sympathetic on the right-wing side of the political map, especially among the ultra-Orthodox public. The goal of the move is to exhaust the electorate of the right-wing religious community, in view of the difficult battle to cross the blockage rate and across the left-center bloc.

Yishai's appeal is against a backdrop of what appears to be a stalemate in the efforts of the two party leaders, Rabbi Rafi Peretz of the Jewish House, and Itamar Ben Gvir of Jewish power, to join those who were to be the third side of the Union declared on Friday - Minister of Transport and National Union of Bezalel Smutrich emphasized that the Yishai application was not intended to replace it with Smutrich, but rather to bring about a situation where all the currents and forces on the right-wing side would cooperate to pass the blockage, emphasizing that both parties wanted Smutrich and the National Union to join them. In the first place. ”It is neither in place nor a substitute but someone who can strengthen a Bloc with "the big," said a unified list.

The Jewish House and Jewish power agreed on a joint run in the elections

However, on the right side of the political map, it is believed that Minister Smutrich's decision on which list to run in the election will be adopted very close to the closing date for the Knesset - in about three weeks.

Contrary to popular belief, Smutrich has only one option and is connected to the Jewish home and Jewish power, even in the New Right confirming that there may be a scenario of joining the National Union. Bennett and Shaked's party well remember the weakening process of the new right through the election campaign last winter, until it failed to pass the blocking. This happened even though immediately after the two had left the Jewish home, they enjoyed lucrative surveys that sometimes predicted a double-digit result. In addition, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett expressed regret in the same election campaign for not having a Likud member close to closing the lists, as they did in blue and white, but was quick to submit his list to the Central Election Commission.

Against the background of these two lessons, a final status assessment will also be held on whether to deal alone or to connect with others, very close to locking the lists. On the personal level, too, there is a good relationship and mutual appreciation between Smutrich and Bennett and Shaked and effective collaboration that has produced results in the past. This is despite the differences of views, especially in the religious sphere, between the National Union and the New Right.

Minister Bezalel Smutrich // Photo: Gideon Markovich

Minister Smutrich did not, until this moment, refer to the joint deal, which Rabbi Peretz and Ben Gvir announced on Friday. The two drafted the agreement to allow Smutrich to join them, but the chairman of the National Union does not seem to be in any hurry and perhaps even disapproves. Like many on the right side of the map, including the Jewish home, in the vicinity of Minister Smutrich talk about great difficulties in working collaboratively With Rabbi Peretz and his surroundings, both because of trust issues and against the background of decision making.

Minister Smutrich is even hurt that Rabbi Peretz has rejected the generous proposals he has made to him in recent weeks, and instead turned to join a Jewish force - a party that Peretz himself has harshly attacked in previous elections. Therefore, for him, under the current conditions, it seems best for him to wait for the election campaign to progress and wait until the closing date of January 14, 2020.