Religious Zionism Party Seeks Moderate Female Candidate to Broaden Appeal Beyond Settlements

Following its recent primaries, the Religious Zionism party is intensifying efforts to diversify its candidate list by recruiting a moderate female candidate from the national-religious mainstream living in central Israeli cities such as Ra'anana, Petah Tikva, or Givat Shmuel. The current list, largely identified with settlers in Judea and Samaria, is seen by party leaders as too narrowly focused, prompting a strategic push to attract more urban and moderate national-religious voters.

Party officials emphasize that the goal is not to alter the ideological character of Religious Zionism but to present a socially, geographically, and stylistically more varied slate. They are specifically seeking a woman with a significant public or professional record who may wear a symbolic or no head covering, dress in pants, and represent the "lighter" national-religious stream. This candidate would help balance the list, which is currently dominated by figures closely associated with the settlement movement.

Among the potential candidates discussed are well-known media personalities and private sector figures. The party also aims to place Alon Davidi, mayor of Sderot, in a prominent position on the list. The recruitment efforts will likely intensify in the coming weeks, utilizing reserved slots available to party chairman Bezalel Smotrich to broaden the party's appeal beyond its traditional base in Judea and Samaria to include families and voters in central Israel's urban areas.