Union of Right-Wing Parties

Union of Right-wing Parties
איחוד מפלגות הימין‎
LeaderRafi Peretz
Founded21 February 2019
Dissolved14 July 2020
HeadquartersAirport City, Israel[1]
IdeologyReligious Zionism
Religious conservatism
National conservatism
Social conservatism
Orthodox interests
Settler interests
Factions:
Ultranationalism
Political positionRight-wing to far-right
ReligionOrthodox Judaism
National affiliationYamina (2019, 2020)
Member partiesJewish Home
National Union
Otzma Yehudit (2019)
Election symbol
טב‎
Website
hayemin.org

The Union of Right-wing Parties (Hebrew: איחוד מפלגות הימין, Ihud Miflagot HaYamin) was a short-lived electoral alliance of right-wing to far-right religious Zionist parties which included The Jewish Home, Otzma Yehudit, and Tkuma. The list was created ahead of the April 2019 Israeli legislative election,[2] after the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, urged the Jewish Home alliance to accept Otzma Yehudit as part of its list for the April election, to avoid losing votes for the right-wing bloc.[3] The alliance gained five seats in the April election.[4]

Otzma Yehudit left the union on 5 July 2019, citing disagreements with the party, such as the refusal of URWP members to resign to allow Itamar Ben-Gvir to become a Knesset member. In addition, Otzma was unwilling to leave Baruch Marzel and Ben-Zion Gopstein off the electoral slate, as Rafi Peretz demanded.[5]

For the September 2019 election, the URWP ran on a joint list, called Yamina,[6] with the New Right,[7] to get both to pass the 3.25% threshold to enter the Knesset, after the New Right failed to pass the threshold in the April election.[8] The parties later split,[9] though Yamina re-formed for the 2020 Israeli legislative election.[10]

  1. ^ Lahav Harkov (15 March 2019). "Smotrich sees himself on the frontlines of a battle for Israel's future". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  2. ^ Hezki Baruch (21 February 2019). ""Union of the Right-Wing Parties" submits Knesset list". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  3. ^ Oster, Marcy. "Why Netanyahu brokered a deal with Kahane's political heirs, and why it matters". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Otzma Yehudit accuses Jewish Home leader of reneging on election deal". Jewish News Syndicate. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  5. ^ Staff writer (5 July 2019). "Right-wing URWP apparently cracking, with Otzma Yehudit set to run separately". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  6. ^ Staff writer (12 August 2019). "United Right to run under name "Yemina"". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  7. ^ Sharon, Jeremy (30 July 2019). "Right-wing parties form alliance to be led by Shaked". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  8. ^ "The New Right fails to pass electoral threshold". Ynet. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  9. ^ Wootliff, Raoul (10 October 2019). "Yamina party officially splits into New Right, Jewish Home-National Union". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  10. ^ Staff writer (15 January 2020). "Bennett, Peretz, Smotrich agree to joint run without Ben Gvir". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 15 January 2020.