Ayelet Shaked Leads New Right-Wing Political Initiative Targeting Religious Zionists
A new political initiative centered around Ayelet Shaked is underway to establish a fresh right-wing party aimed at the national-religious public in Israel who do not identify with the ultra-Orthodox bloc. The effort involves public figures, rabbis, and political activists seeking to create an independent list appealing to moderate religious Zionists, traditional voters, and right-wing supporters who currently feel politically unrepresented. The registered party "Liyamin Tzion" will serve as the vehicle to submit the list for the upcoming Knesset elections.
Key figures considered for the list include MK Moshe Solomon, publicist and lawyer Nadav Hazani, attorney Shvut Raanan, and Shomron Regional Council deputy head Dudi Ben Zion. Rabbi David Stav, chairman of the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization, is also being considered for the Minister of Religious Services role. The initiative is backed by a group including Rabbi Beni Kalmanzon and others, aiming to build a political framework independent of existing religious Zionist parties.
Previously, Shaked and Yuli Edelstein explored a joint political path, but Edelstein ultimately allied with Gilad Erdan. The current initiative is informed by recent polling indicating significant dissatisfaction among moderate religious Zionists with their current political representation. The organizers hope to attract voters seeking a Zionist framework distinct from ultra-Orthodox parties.
A major challenge remains surpassing the electoral threshold. Discussions include potential alliances with figures from the so-called "third bloc," with some insiders suggesting that collaboration with Bezalel Smotrich could be pivotal. However, Smotrich may hesitate to join unless assured of a substantial increase in mandates. Meanwhile, the organizers believe Shaked’s group can draw voters who might not support Naftali Bennett or Gadi Eizenkot.
The initiative aims to go beyond the typical debate over ultra-Orthodox conscription, promoting what they call the "Second Zionist Revolution", a series of reforms on core issues such as constitution, mandatory core education, religion-state relations, economy, and government structure. Their premise is that meaningful reforms require a government not dependent on ultra-Orthodox parties. The critical question is whether Shaked will lead this movement and if it can unite diverse segments of religious Zionism, traditional voters, and the national right to create a compelling reason for electoral support.
