Jewish Home party votes overwhelmingly to merge with extremist Otzma Yehudit

20 February 2019, 8:57 pm

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The Jewish Home central committee votes overwhelmingly to adopt a merger deal with the extremist Otzma Yehudit faction.

The 250 or so members of the internal body also give their blessing to continue negotiations with Yachad chairman Eli Yishai to join the Jewish Home’s Knesset slate in the upcoming elections.

Jewish Home central committee event in Petah Tikva, February 20, 2019 (Jacob Magid/Times of Israel)

Earlier, the Likud party announced it would reserve the 28th spot on its parliamentary list for the Jewish Home party and grant it two Cabinet ministries in a future government if it merged with Otzma Yehudit.

Netanyahu pushed for the deal to unite the ultra-right parties ahead of the April elections, prompting accusations he was pandering to extremists.

— Jacob Magid