Likud Court President Warns Against Surplus Deal with Religious Zionism

Michael Kleiner, president of the Likud party's court, has issued a strong warning against a potential surplus agreement between the Likud and the Religious Zionism party ahead of the upcoming elections. In an opinion piece published in "Maariv," Kleiner argued that such a deal could cost the Likud at least half a Knesset seat.

Kleiner suggested that if Religious Zionism enters into a surplus agreement with Otzma Yehudit, the Likud would be the loser. He proposed an alternative arrangement where the Likud would form a surplus agreement with "Am Ich Yisrael," a party led by Ofir Winter, while Otzma Yehudit would align with Religious Zionism. Kleiner believes this would minimize vote loss and benefit the right-wing bloc.

The article notes that several surplus agreements have already been signed, including between Gadi Eisenkot's Yish! party and the Democrats, and between Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu and Naftali Bennett's party. Ra'am and the Joint List have also signed an agreement.

Reports indicate that the Prime Minister's Office has considered a truce with Ofir Winter's "Am Ich Yisrael" party. This initiative, aimed at a strategic goal, would facilitate a surplus agreement between Winter's party and Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit. While some advisors support this move for electoral balance, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly opposed it for now, amidst ongoing sharp exchanges between the Likud and Winter's party.

Previously, Likud representatives have privately accused Winter of potentially wasting votes or aligning with left-wing factions post-election. "Channel 14" reported that a meeting in the Prime Minister's office identified Winter's party as a threat to the right-wing bloc, partly due to fears of future alliances with Lieberman and Bennett. In response, Winter's party has also criticized the Likud. Yosef Haddad, number two on the "Am Ich Yisrael" list, stated he would not cooperate with Arab parties, questioning Mansour Abbas's stance on Hamas.