Netanyahu once again pushing right-wing union with racist party – report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is once again urging the far-right parties Jewish Home and National Union to join forces with an extremist and racist party, Otzma Yehudit, in order to increase its ballot-box showing on September 17.

Netanyahu made the appeal in a conversation with Jewish Home leader Rafi Peretz today, Channel 12 reports.

Previously, Netanyahu’s efforts ahead of the April election to ensure Jewish Home ran on a joint slate with Otzma Yehudit were panned across the political spectrum and by many critics overseas.

Otzma Yehudit is made up of disciples of an extremist rabbi, Meir Kahane, who at various times urged violence against Arabs and forced deportations of Palestinians. Kahane’s Kach organization is classified as a terror group by the US and his political party in Israel is forbidden from running in Israeli elections.

Senior members of Otzma Yehudit are also heavily involved in organizations that conduct violent protests outside weddings between Jews and non-Jews.

For his part, Peretz prefers to join with the New Right party of Ayelet Shaked  instead, and talks are now underway between the two parties to bring about such a merger.

But Netanyahu dislikes Shaked and Bennett, and may be pushing the Otzma Yehudit merger to pressure Peretz not to help New Right enter the 22nd Knesset.