Former minister concerned about PM intention to form government with Left without Yemina: ‘Must vote parties that pass threshold.’
Nitzan Kedar, 03/09/19 18:38
Yemina Chairwoman former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked called via Arutz Sheva upon the national religious public and ideological Right-leaning voters, defining the days before the election as an emergency.
“We’re in a very critical time, it is a real emergency and I urge all religious Zionism and the ideological Right to wake up. At present, the situation is not good and the entire Right-leaning bloc is in danger because of the two seats held by Otzma Yehudit,” Shaked explains.
She said, “We need great forces both on the ground and in the social networks. The heads of institutions need to wake up. We could end this election with all of religious Zionism and the ideological Right in the opposition. Netanyahu will be Prime Minister either way, but if our seats are thrown in the bin or passed to the Likud, it could be that we’ll shrink so much that we find ourselves in the opposition.
“I’m talking to public leaders, heads of institutions and rabbis who will understand the magnitude of the hour. If we don’t get big and strong, with a double-digit number, it might very well not be us. Netanyahu only attacks Lapid. The fact that Likud doesn’t attack Gantz proves that they are paving his way to the government and the same holds true for Amir Peretz,” she added.
Shaked also called on the public to understand the political situation that has been created. “I’m in the north today, moving from city to city and trying to awaken the public. These are very critical choices and we must vote for parties that pass the threshold. Otzma Yehudit must stop this game because they won’t pass and they’re risking the entire Right.”
She says Netanyahu may again leave the religious Zionist party a last priority: “In 2009, he turned to Barak and left the National Union outside. In 2013, he turned to Tzipi Livni and then to Lapid and wanted to leave us outside. In 2015, he turned to Yitzchak Herzog. If we become as small and weak as the Likud wants, then either we’ll be insignificant with junior ministerial positions or we’ll be in the opposition.
“Lest there be created a situation like in the previous elections – so many people regretted afterwards how they lost me in the Justice Ministry. If we don’t become big and strong, we won’t be significant, and the interests of religious Zionism will also be greatly damaged. This is a wake-up call,” Shaked declared.
The situation in the polls is alarming, too. Shaked says that “last week we dropped two seats in favor of the Likud. If that continues, religious Zionism will go into the opposition. I urge everyone to wake up. I urge the residents of Judea and Samaria for whom we work hard and for settlement throughout the year: You know that without us – there’s no settlement.
“Netanyahu talked about applying sovereignty to Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria solely because of us. When we entered politics, he was talking about a Palestinian state. If we don’t become big and strong, his words will remain words and won’t develop into action.”