Netanyahu Establishes 'Right-Wing Bloc'? The Haredim Signed, but Smotrich Refused

February 23, 2021   

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has had the heads of the ultra-Orthodox parties sign a 'declaration of loyalty' stating that they will not hold separate coalition negotiations. This was reported this afternoon (Tuesday) on Channel 12. Enter: Registration for daycare for the 2012 school year is moving online Food stamps: When will they be distributed? Who is eligible for assistance? How much money do you receive? You don't have to be a volunteer at an emergency organization to save lives. You can too. The text of the document, which has already been signed by Prime Minister Netanyahu, Aryeh Deri, Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Litzman, states: "We, the leaders of the right-wing parties, pledge to form a joint government together in order to realize a special opportunity to form a true right-wing government. A vote for any other party will result in the establishment of a left-wing government headed by Lapid. We call on the public to vote for us and not miss a one-time opportunity to form a full right-wing government." However, the Religious Zionist Party does not intend to sign this text of the commitment. In response to questions from journalists, Religious Zionism stated: "We have no intention of signing 'letters of allegiance' that have proven to be meaningless in the past and have not led to a right-wing government. Our only loyalty is to the path and values, and we will only be part of a government that expresses them." In response, the Likud pulled a clause from the surplus agreement signed by Smotrich - which reads: "Religious Zionism pledges to support Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister of Israel. Religious Zionism will not support any other candidate for prime minister." The chairman of the coalition and the Likud faction, MK Miki Zohar, welcomed: "The unification of the right-wing bloc is important for the victory of the right. We were and remain united, they will not succeed in separating us. In the name of God, we will act together for the people of Israel, the Land of Israel and the Torah of Israel." On the other hand, the chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, MK Avigdor Lieberman, attacked the prime minister following the report on the re-establishment of the right-wing bloc: "Netanyahu is once again establishing a messianic ultra-Orthodox bloc with Litzman, Deri, Smotrich and Ben Gvir. Gideon, Yair, Naftali, instead of bowing down to Deri and Litzman, join my initiative and commit to establishing a Zionist and liberal government without Shas and United Torah Judaism." He also wrote on his Twitter account in response: "And what about Abbas?" Political commentator Yaakov Rivlin tweeted: "The loyalty document that Netanyahu signed with the ultra-Orthodox parties is not worth the paper and ink. If Netanyahu and the bloc reach sixty-one, it is unnecessary. If there is not sixty-one, the ultra-Orthodox will not sit with Netanyahu in opposition but will try to join any government that agrees to accept them.".