Naftali Bennett

A Nazi trooper on a street in Tunis on January 9, 1943. (AP)

August 20, 2019, 9:02 am

Israeli schools to teach about fate of North African Jews in the Holocaust

Education Minister Peretz insists history of Jewish people living in Muslim countries during World War II be included in curriculum

By JTA and TOI staff

New Right Knesset hopeful Roni Sassover. (Facebook)

August 19, 2019, 4:58 pm

Yamina Knesset hopeful accused of anti-Arab racism over old tweet

Amid calls for her to step down, Roni Sassover says media distorting her 2018 remark conveying the sentiment that the only good Arab is a dead Arab

By TOI staff

New Right party member Naftali Bennett arrives for a meeting with United Right party chairman Rafi Peretz, after announcing their union ahead of the elections, at the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem, on July 28, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

August 14, 2019, 5:15 pm

Bennett says right-wing Yamina bloc will recommend Netanyahu as prime minister

Former education minister ends his own ambivalence, accuses Avigdor Liberman of playing games that will lead to a left-wing government

By TOI staff

Amir Peretz (R) walks by Naftali Bennett during a Knesset plenum session on January 21, 2015. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

August 12, 2019, 5:00 pm

Bennett says Labor chief’s economic plan will turn Israel into Venezuela

Amir Peretz calls United Right member a ‘hilltop youth’ for decrying his proposals as ‘extreme socialism’

By Alexander Fulbright

Illustrative: A school classroom. (Image via Shutterstock)

August 11, 2019, 3:11 pm

Liberal groups charge Orthodox ‘indoctrination’ in Israel’s secular schools

Reform movement says Education Ministry has changed guidelines to favor Orthodox religious outreach over pluralistic Jewish studies, is hiding the activities from parents

By TOI staff

Former justice minister Ayelet Shaked poses for a selfie during a press conference in Ramat Gan, July 21, 2019. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

August 7, 2019, 6:07 am

How Ayelet Shaked, a secular woman, came to dominate Israel’s religious right

No woman has ever risen to the pinnacle of political power in a bloc representing the traditionally patriarchal Orthodox community

By Sam Sokol

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz speaks to reporters at the Knesset as his party submits its electoral slate to the Central Elections Committee on August 1, 2019. (Flash90)

August 2, 2019, 3:02 pm

Let the wild rumpus begin: 8 things to know for August 2

With party slates finalized, campaign season gets off to a fight-filled start, even as some predict it may end in some sort of unity

By Joshua Davidovich

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman in Tel Aviv, July 30, 2019. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

August 2, 2019, 2:15 am

Election lists close with rifts on left and right, leaving Liberman as kingmaker

Three major takeaways as 32 parties register with the Central Elections Committee for the September 17 national vote

By Raoul Wootliff

Otzma Yehudit's Itamar Ben Gvir speaks to reporters at the Knesset before his far-right party submits its electoral slate to the Central Elections Committee on August 1, 2019. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

August 1, 2019, 10:32 pm

Resisting pressure from Netanyahu, far-right Otzma Yehudit runs alone

Itamar Ben Gvir accuses Bennett of ‘blowing up’ merger, claims United Right seeking to join coalition led by Blue and White

By Jacob Magid and Raoul Wootliff

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz addressing party activists in Shefayim, July 14, 2019. (Jane Peimer)

July 30, 2019, 9:59 pm

Gantz doesn’t rule out coalition with New Right

Blue and White leader says he’d invite Shaked and Bennett to join him in government, but not their ‘extremist’ partner Smotrich

By TOI staff

A Jewish Home party activist shouts criticism of the merger with New Right during a gathering in Jerusalem, July 29, 2019 (screenshot)

July 30, 2019, 8:42 am

Jewish Home gathering erupts into shouting match over merger with New Right

Veteran activists accuse Rafi Peretz of capitulating to Shaked and Bennett in United Right alliance, with one crying out that ‘he sold his soul to the devil’

By TOI staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, speaks with Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked in the Knesset, December 21, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

July 29, 2019, 9:29 pm

This is not the right-wing merger Netanyahu wanted

PM fears that United Right, led by Ayelet Shaked, a popular ex-minister, could siphon votes away from Likud, and is concerned that other votes for fringe hardliners could be lost

By Raoul Wootliff

New Right No. 2 Naftali Bennett speaks during a press conference in Efrat, in the West Bank, July 22, 2019. (Gershon Elinson/Flash90)

July 28, 2019, 5:39 pm

Bennett says right-wing union would be for election only

New Right’s No. 2 says proposed joint slate with other national-religious factions would form ‘technical bloc’ to help ensure all parties clear electoral threshold

By TOI staff

Union of Right-Wing Parties leader Rafi Peretz (left) and New Right leader Ayelet Shaked. (Flash 90)

July 24, 2019, 1:52 pm

Right-wing parties puff chests as they seek dominance in merger deal

With Netanyahu nudging, New Right and URWP accuse each other of making ‘unjustified demands’ in talks to form union; Zehut and Otzma Yehudit threaten separate unity deal

By Raoul Wootliff

July 23, 2019, 12:22 pm

Shaked and Peretz meet to discuss possible merger of right-wing slates

New Right head and URWP leader agree that negotiating teams will meet in coming days to advance the talks

By TOI staff and Jacob Magid