Knesset members Aryeh Eldad and Michael Ben Ari from the National Union alliance will hold a press conference on Tuesday to announce their intention to run on a joint ticket in the coming elections. Although both men are members of the National Union, they belong to different component parties. Ben Ari represents the Eretz Yisrael Shelanu (Our Land of Israel) party, while Eldad heads the Tikvah (Hope) party, both of which joined forces under the National Union umbrella before the last elections. Following National Union's announcement a month and a half ago that it would join with Bayit Yehudi ahead of January's elections, Eldad and Ben Ari said they would not participate, preferring to run separately. Polls show them winning at least two mandates. Meanwhile, the Bayit Yehudi-National Union joint party, which recently elected Naftali Bennett as its new chairman, will hold its primary elections on Tuesday to determine its list of candidates. Among the more prominent candidates (14 altogether) are former journalist and current MK Uri Orbach; secular founder of the right-wing Yisrael Sheli (My Israel) movement Ayelet Shaked; former MK Nissan Slomianski; Deputy Mayor of Beersheba Avi Wertzman; Rabbi Dr. Doron Danino and others. The party's list will be chosen by voters who will rank their top five candidates.
