Smotrich Considers Reserving Knesset Spot for Dr. Avishi Ben Haim Amid Third Bloc Unity Talks

The Religious Zionism party, led by Bezalel Smotrich, continues to struggle near the electoral threshold in recent polls and is exploring electoral strategies to strengthen its position. Smotrich is reportedly considering reserving the second spot on the party's Knesset list for Dr. Avishi Ben Haim, aiming to diversify the list with a moderate Mizrahi or religious figure to attract national-religious voters who might otherwise support rival parties. Ben Haim denied that such an arrangement is currently planned, while the party emphasized its commitment to a diverse list and broad activity across various sectors.

Regarding a potential renewed alliance with Itamar Ben-Gvir and Otzma Yehudit, both sides currently show no interest in uniting. However, political analysts expect Prime Minister Netanyahu to pressure for a merger as the candidate registration deadline approaches. Meanwhile, advanced negotiations are underway between Benny Gantz and Dedi Simchi on one side and Yuli Edelstein and Ayelet Shaked on the other, with at least three meetings held in the past two weeks. The main sticking point is leadership of the joint party, alongside disagreements over party-building mechanisms, veto rights, and preferred government formation after the elections.