Identity Party Official Sets Conditions for Joining Netanyahu Government

Attorney and Rabbi Yitzhak Zagha, who is number 8 on the Religious Zionism-Identity list, has stated that his party will only join a government led by Benjamin Netanyahu if it achieves a "victory in Gaza that includes occupation, expulsion, and settlement." Zagha, a member of the Identity party, emphasized in an interview with Arutz 7 that they would not join a government that does not secure such an outcome, despite having committed to recommending Netanyahu for prime minister.

Zagha explained that the decision to enter politics stemmed from the October 7th massacre, which he felt necessitated a profound change in right-wing policy. He believes that many right-wing voters are disillusioned and seeking alternatives, which he sees the Identity party and its leader, Moshe Feiglin, as providing. He criticized the ongoing war in Gaza, stating that Hamas remains active and that humanitarian aid is effectively funding the organization.

He also addressed the relationship between the state and its Arab citizens, warning of an "Arab rebellion within the State of Israel." Zagha described the situation in the Negev as one where Bedouins act as "masters of the land," beyond the reach of courts and police. He suggested that Arab families moving into Jewish neighborhoods in Beersheba is a deliberate attempt to alter the areas' character and characterized protection rackets as a form of taxation by a de facto sovereign.

Zagha proposed a policy of expelling terrorists and encouraging voluntary emigration among Arabs, stating this applies to Arab citizens of Israel as well. He argued that many Israeli Arabs identify as Palestinian and sympathize with Israel's enemies. He also advocated for maximum individual liberty alongside a clear Jewish national identity.

Regarding the judiciary, Zagha proposed that the public directly elect Supreme Court justices for ten-year terms, arguing this would prevent the left from maintaining control through the court when it loses elections. He also suggested strengthening rabbinical courts as an alternative to state courts, emphasizing that participation would require mutual consent and would not be compulsory. Zagha explicitly rejected the idea of a "halachic state," stating that connection to Judaism should be voluntary.