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The new Blue and White alliance of Benny Gantz’s Israel Resilience party and Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid faction would become the largest party in the Knesset if new elections were held today, a new poll shows – but the right-wing – religious bloc would retain a narrow majority. According to the poll, conducted by Maagar Mohot and published by i24NEWS and Israel Hayom Sunday evening, if new elections were held today, the Blue and White party of Gantz and Lapid would win 36 mandates. The Likud, by contrast, would gain a single mandate over its 2015 performance, winning a total...

National Union Chairman MK Yaakov Katz (Ketzaleh) said Sunday that the Shin Bet, the police, President Shimon Peres, former minister Aryeh Deri "and other radical left wingers" must apologize for blaming the arson at a northern mosque on Jewish "Price Tag" operations. MK Katz referred to a television interview with a resident of Tuba Zangariya aired Saturday night as confirming that the arson was committed by local residents, not Jews. "As I said insistently all along," he said, "all 20 arson attacks in the last three years were carried out by Arabs whose sole purpose is to create strife and...

MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) responded to Turkey's intention to expel the Israeli ambassador by calling for reciprocity. "The law of reciprocity – and the ‘law’ of the Middle East – require immediate expulsion of the ambassador to Turkey, filing a suit on behalf of the commandos who were injured - and the State of Israel for expenses incurred - as a result Turkey's negligence in preventing the flotilla from sailing illegally, and immediate cessation of the supply and maintenance of military contracts with Turkey ". MK Eldad added that during the first week after the Knesset holiday he will...

Sunday, October 7, 2007 MK BENNY ELON TO HOST PRESS CONFERENCE IN JERUSALEM WEDNESDAY - US PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TO PUBLICLY ENDORSE ELON PLAN AT PRESS CONFERENCE www.hayozma.org MK Benny Elon to launch "The Israeli Initiative" - The Right Road to Peace" to Foreign Media US Presidential Candidate to Publicly Endorse Plan at Press Conference Jerusalem - Oct. 10th: MK Benny Elon, Chairman of the National Union Party, will launch a million-dollar advertising campaign to promote "The Israeli Initiative - The Right Road to Peace" on Wednesday, Oct. 10th at 12:00pm at Beit Agron in Jerusalem. A prominent US presidential candidate...

ov. 26, 2005 23:20 | Updated Nov. 27, 2005 19:22 Sharon waits to appoint ministers By GIL HOFFMAN AND JPOST STAFF Prime Minister Ariel Sharon prepares to leave the Knesset. Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who was expected to appoint the six ministers who joined his new Kadima party to temporarily fill the vacancies left by the seven Labor ministers who quit the government last week, will continue to hold the portfolios of the Labor ministers who resigned for at least another 10 days. Attorney General Meni Mazuz recommended that the government be designated a government in transition...

(IsraelNN.com) MK (National Union) Uri Ariel is calling upon the government to expel PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala) together with Yasser Arafat after Abu Ala stated on Tuesday that a Hamas attack against Israel would be “justified” following Israel’s strike in Gaza against a Hamas training camp. Fourteen terrorists were killed in the counter-terrorism strike and over 20 injured according to PA sources.

Responding to the threat by the 115 non-Aligned countries to refuse entry to "Israeli settlers" - i.e., the 450,000 Jewish residents of areas such as eastern and northern Jerusalem, Gush Etzion, Ariel, and the Golan - MK Eldad calls for a boycott. Public figures in Israel have begun to comment on the possibility that the 115 non-aligned countries might refuse entry to "Israeli settlers" - i.e., the 450,000 Jewish residents of areas liberated in the Six Day War, such as eastern and northern Jerusalem, Gush Etzion, Ariel, and the Golan. Among the countries are popular destinations for young Israeli hikers...

MK Hendel charges “Sharon leading us towards civil war”New NU faction chairman says government should be immediately replaced. Minister Ezra warns "extremists will resort to violence". Knesset to discuss escalation of public discourse tomorrow. Uri Glickman and Avishai Ben-Haim MK Tzvi Hendel. MK Tzvi Hendel, who was today (Monday) chosen to be the Chairman of the National Union Knesset faction, told his fellow party members that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is leading the country towards civil war. “Sharon is crushing every democratic measure. If we do not want him to lead us down the path of civil war, a concentrated...

Government ministers Thursday evening received by fax copies of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan. Meanwhile, the prime minister departed from the United States and is now en route to Israel. Earlier Thursday, the National Union faction decided Thursday that it will resign from the government if the cabinet or Knesset approve the disengagement plan. Following the decision, the National Union issued a statement urging members of Sharon's Likud party to reject the disengagement plan in the May 2 referendum for all registered Likud members. "Likud members will utilize their nationalist sentiments and not lend a hand to the uprooting...

Elon Demands Talks with the PA be Frozen 20:49 Nov 03, '03 / 8 Cheshvan 5764 (IsraelNN.com) Minister of Tourism (National Union) Benny Elon called on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz to immediately halt all diplomatic efforts with the PA following this morning’s attempted suicide bombing attack. Elon was referring to the bomber detected near Kedumim on his way into Green Line Israel, who was killed when his bomb exploded. Elon added that it is unacceptable that while Israel relaxes security restrictions on the PA and works to advance on the diplomatic level, the terrorism continues.

Oct. 8, 2003 Rabbinical courts transferred to 'secular' Justice Ministry By HERB KEINON The cabinet voted to dismantle the Religious Affairs Ministry Wednesday and transfer authority over the rabbinical courts to the Justice Ministry headed by Shinui leader Yosef Lapid, a move that infuriated the National Religious Party and triggered a coalition crisis. The NRP, which threatened to leave the government over the issue, wants the Chief Rabbinate and the rabbinical courts to remain united and come under the purview of the Prime Minister's Office, in order to keep them out of Lapid's administrative orbit. The NRP faction decided Wednesday...

Shteinitz Calls for Expelling PA Leadership 17:17 Sep 11, '03 / 14 Elul 5763 (IsraelNN.com) MK (Likud) Yuval Shteinitz, the chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee is calling for a discussion on the possible expulsion of Yasser Arafat and other PA leaders who arrived with him from Tunisia. Shteinitz is calling for the removal of the terror-supporting leaders of the PA. He added that “dramatic” steps must be taken in the war on terror. Lieberman Opposes Ousting ArafatMinister (National Union/Yisrael Beitenu) Avigdor Lieberman opposes the expulsion of Yasser Arafat, explaining such a move would permit him to...

As the government debates how to implement the various stages of President George W. Bush's Road Map for a Middle East Peace, Tourism Minister Benny Elon is preparing for what he believes is the predestined failure of the road map. Son of retired Supreme Court justice Menachem Elon, a former head of a yeshiva, and a resident of the West Bank town of Beit-El, Elon laments what he describes as the Right's historic failure to recognize the importance of diplomacy and international law and discusses the steps he is taking to change the situation. To brace for the day after,...

The Likud and the far-right National Union Party have reached an understanding that would allow the ultra-nationalist party to join the emerging government coalition. The National Union Central Committee met later Tuesday to ratify the agreement. The accord was reached after the two sides agreed that in the event that the creation of a Palestinian State becomes a reality the issue would be brought before the government for debate. Sharon has repeatedly said he plans to pursue the Bush plan, which envisions a Palestinian State created by 2005. The National Union has been one of the most vocal opponents...

Likud in ferment Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is giving important portfolios to other parties, leaving none for the Likud. Yoav Yitzhak 24 Feb 03 15:41Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s new coalition, consisting of the Likud, Shinui, and the National Religious Party, with the possible addition of the National Union Yisrael Beitenu, is likely to lead to the formation of a government enjoying the support of 68 Knesset members (MKs). This coalition is oriented towards the center, with an extreme right wing element. Sharon, however, cannot even count on the support of his own party. The Likud members are storing up resentment...

No progress in Likud-National Union coalition talks By Yossi Verter and Lily Galili, Haaretz Correspondents, and Haaretz Service Shinui chairman Yosef Lapid at talks with the Likud on Sunday. (Photo: Nir Keidar) Coalition talks between the Likud and the far-right National Union, which vociferously opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, ended without any progress Monday afternoon. The two sides were deadlocked over Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's commitment to include the notion of Palestinian statehood in the guidelines of his new government. The Likud coalition team presented a document at the meeting stipulating that the government would operate on the...

What To Do Against Belgium MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union) recommends that Israel try Belgian leaders for their participation in war crimes committed by Belgium during its conquest of the Congo up til 1960. "This will enable the world to see the Belgians' chutzpah and hypocrisy," Hendel said. It is estimated that between 1880 and 1920, ten million Africans in the Belgian Congo were the victims of murder, starvation, exhaustion induced by over-work, and disease. Well-documented claims allege that women were systematically raped and that the local populace endured kidnapping, looting and village burnings. An article in the London-based Guardian...

Feb. 3, 2003 National Union: we won't join govt. that supports creation of Palestinian state (UPDATE) By GREER FAY CASHMANThe National Union party has just finished its consultations with President Moshe Katsav about joining a coalition government. MK Tsvi Hendel, heading the National Union delegations, told Katsav that if Sharon forms a right wing government, which, as its basic guideline does not include a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River, then they (National Union) would be willing to be part of that government. However if the basic guideline of the new government does include a Palestinian state then they...

Jan. 31, 2003 Anger in Likud at PM's pursuit of Labor By GIL HOFFMAN Advertisement Senior Likud officials expressed anger at Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Thursday for his insistence on forming a national-unity government with the Labor Party, despite the rise of the rightist bloc in the incoming Knesset to 69 MKs. Sharon declared after his acceptance speech on Tuesday night that he would call a new election if he were faced with no possible government other than a coalition with rightist and religious parties. He made it clear that he does not intend to allow Avigdor Lieberman's National...