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The national-religious Knesset list: a strange mix

The top 10 spots of the Yamina list include Ministers Rafi Peretz and Bezalel Smotrich, whose public statements show that they are not the example of enlightenment, as well as liberal religious women and the secular Ayelet Shaked.
Former Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked attends the launch of the political party "Yemina", which she formed with Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich (C) and Education Minister Rafi Peretz (R), on August 12, 2019 in the Israeli city of Ramat Gan. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)        (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
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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.

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