Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly seeking to merge the Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit parties, aiming to prevent wasted votes in the 2026 elections. According to a report by Nadav Elimelech, Netanyahu offered each faction a safe spot on a joint list pending agreement. The story was first published in an unnamed outlet.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly working to broker a merger between the Religious Zionism party, led by Bezalel Smotrich, and Otzma Yehudit, led by Itamar Ben Gvir, ahead of the 2026 elections. According to a first-publication report by journalist Nadav Elimelech, Netanyahu offered each faction a reserved slot on a unified list in exchange for their agreement, aiming to consolidate the right-wing vote and minimize wasted ballots.
The report comes amid ongoing coalition infighting and fragmentation within the right-wing bloc. As The Zioneer has previously reported, Netanyahu has been exploring various mechanisms to prevent a vote split that could weaken his coalition options after the election. The parallel efforts range from merging Likud with New Hope (stalled over a legal loophole) to offering individual Likud MKs reserved list positions.
It remains unclear whether Smotrich and Ben Gvir will accept the proposed terms or whether internal rivalries within the religious-nationalist camp will derail the merger. The report is based on a single source and has not been independently corroborated.
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