One of the biggest political storms raged among the religious Zionist parties on Jan. 15, with last-minute additions and a “betrayal” that left Rabbi Meir Kahane’s followers in Otzma Yehudit to run alone for the Knesset. The HaBayit HaYehudi party went back on the agreement it reached with Otzma Yehudit to run on one ticket in the March elections, in favor of running with the other right-wing parties.
The Yamina party was established before the September elections, but fell apart after. Now, by the deadline of submitting lists for the March elections, it was established anew — as a strange mix of a list including four parties — the New Right, HaBayit HaYehudi, National Union and Ahi — where the top 10 spots on the list are held by three men from the conservative stream alongside five women (and another in the 11th place). One of the women is secular, former Minister Ayelet Shaked, and the others are of the type that are called “lite” in religious Zionism, i.e., with a less conservative approach. For instance, they do not cover their heads completely, a clear external signal of their more liberal stance.
Just to cool down the excitement, we should remember that polls show seven to 10 mandates for this list, where in the first seven spots there are only two women. In the same upper seven slots are two men, who from time to time remind the Israeli public of their far-right place on the conservative chart.
Thus, for example, Minister of Education Rafi Peretz, a combat pilot and former chief rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and chairman of HaBayit HaYehudi, who holds the second spot on the list, has drawn harsh criticism for his stance on LGBTQ issues. In an interview he gave in July 2019, he was asked about conversion therapy for the youth who show same-sex orientation, and his honest answer was, “I think they are possible. I have to tell you that I have a very deep understanding of [the therapy] and [I think they can work].” The remarks were understood as support for conversion therapy, which is illegal in many countries, as well as in Israel. There is consensus among psychologists and psychiatrists that such treatments are dangerous, prompting suicidal thoughts and self-harm.
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