Religious party's unorthodox approach may win votes

Newly elected New National Religious Party leader Naftali Bennett successfully managed to unite the national religious Knesset factions behind him on Monday, paving the way for a joint Knesset list in the coming Jan. 22 elections.

The motion was approved during the Jewish Home convention in Modiin, which effectively ratified the agreement Bennett brokered between the New National Religious Party and the National Union. The agreement stipulates that Bennett will head a merged candidate list, followed by MK Uri Ariel (National Union). Third place will go to former MK Nissan Slomiansky. The former head of the rabbinical courts, Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan (representing the Tkuma faction within the National Union) will be fourth. Ayelet Shaked (New National Religious Party) will be fifth on the list. She is the only person on the list who considers herself secular.

MK Uri Orbach (New National Religious Party) is sixth. Zevulun Kalfa, a kibbutznik, is seventh. Beersheba Deputy Mayor Avi Wortzman and the deputy head of the Binyamin Regional Council Moti Yogev are placed eighth and ninth respectively. Orit Struk, who is the chairwoman of the Human Rights Organization of Judea and Samaria (which provides legal assistance to members of the Jewish communities there who are accused of breaking the law) got slot No. 10.

Bennett, 41, was a relatively unknown figure in national politics until his election to the New National Religious Party's top job last month. His ascendancy marked a change of the guard at the New National Religious Party, which evolved from the National Religious Party after the latter dissolved and merged with other national religious groups. Bennett was the director-general of the Yesha Council, the umbrella body of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, and was a high-tech entrepreneur. He also founded the right-wing advocacy group Yisrael Sheli ("My Israel"). Between 2006 and 2007 he was the chief of staff to then Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

At Monday's event, Bennett said the emerging list "has the most values, the most diversity and the most young people." He further noted that it comprised both religious and secular candidates.