איחוד לאומי

Break in blogging

2009-04-20T15:04:00.001-07:00

There has been a slowdown in posting on this blog since the elections. We intend to rectify that situation forthwhith.

-the editors

New Balad MK praises Iran's nuke quest

2009-04-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

Mar. 31, 2009
Samuel Sokol, Special to The Jerusalem Post , THE JERUSALEM POST

New Balad party MK Haneen Zuabi, the first woman to be elected to the Knesset as a representative of an Arab party, has welcomed Iran's growing influence on Palestinian affairs and praised Iran's quest for a nuclear weapon as a means of offsetting Israel's regional military edge.

Having Israel as the region's sole nuclear power, she said, was "dangerous to the world."

Interviewed in English twice in recent days - in her Knesset office and in a Jerusalem hotel - Zuabi, one of Balad's three MKs and the former director of the I'lam: Media Center for Arab Palestinians in Israel, said Iran's role in Palestinian affairs was "more useful" than that of regimes like Jordan and Egypt, in that Iran stood more firmly "against occupation than a lot of the Arab countries. This is our interest."

She said Egypt and Jordan were scared of a free and democratic Palestinian state.

Queried regarding Iran's quest to manufacture nuclear weapons, Zuabi stated that having Israel as the region's sole nuclear power was disadvantageous.

"It would be more supporting me to have a counter-power to Israel," she said. "I need something to balance [Israel's] power."

Zuabi was asked if she felt worried, living among Jews, that Iran was getting close to acquiring a nuclear weapon. She replied: "No, I am not."

Indeed, she said she was "more afraid from the Israeli nuclear [weapons]."

Israel does not officially admit to a nuclear weapons capability, but is widely believed to have had such a capability since the 1960s.

When asked if she thought that Israel would use nuclear weapons, she replied, "The Israelis? I think yes... And I am afraid from real risk rather than from potential risk."

The Iranian bomb was only "a potential" threat. The real danger was the IDF, she said. "Every day the Israeli [army] uses its violence, army violence."

Zuabi said that Israel was an aggressor state, and that only a situation similar to that which existed between the Soviet Union and United States in the form of the doctrine of "Mutually Assured Destruction" would restrain Israel.

"It is more dangerous to the world, more dangerous to everyone, more dangerous to the Palestinians, to Israelis, to have Israel as the only powerful state. I need something to balance its power because this balance of power will restrict the Israeli using of power.

"The Israeli violence of the army is an outcome of Israel's convenient feeling that no one will restrict her, that no Arab country will really declare a war against [Israel]."

She added: "I believe that [Israel] would respect its use of power if she's afraid from others. The fact that she is not afraid from Arab countries, the fact that she is not afraid from a potential declaration of our Arab world to declare war against Israel, makes Israel more violent. You understand me?"

Asked whether an Iranian bomb would make America nervous and lead to more US pressure on Israel, and whether that would be good from her point of view, Zuabi said: "Exactly."

Zuabi declared that the very concept of a Jewish state was "inherently racist," saying that Israel must be turned into a "state of all its citizens," which would eliminate its Jewish or Zionist nature.

The Knesset Central Elections Committee disqualified the Balad party from running in the recent elections due to its members' refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and reported calls for violence against it. The ban was overturned by the High Court of Justice.

Responding to Zuabi's comments, Balad party chairman Jamal Zahalka said: "I think Ms. Zuabi tried to explain some analysis [about] what's better if you have. [But] this is not a position. It's an analysis [of] what would be safer for the region, if there is a balance."

Her comments, he said, did not constitute "supporting a nuclear weapon in Iran."

Some of Zuabi's statements were consistent with her previously stated views. On February 13, she was quoted by the Balad affiliated Arabs48 Internet news site saying that "Balad's concept, which rejects the 'Jewish state' idea, is the only idea that can remove [Avigdor] Lieberman from the circle of political and moral legitimacy... When you agree with the 'Jewish state' idea, you necessarily agree with the idea of loyalty to this state.

"Rejecting the 'Jewish state' concept will block the road for anyone who demands our loyalty to such a state. There is no logic in demanding that I be loyal to an idea to which I do not agree to begin with, especially since I am proposing an alternative and fighting for it...

"The language of democracy does not speak of loyalty. This is a language of fascism, just like Lieberman. The language of democracy speaks of rights, equality, and values."

The writer is a freelance journalist affiliated with The Bulletin of Philadelphia.

2009-02-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

Moledet membership form

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Update: Peres picks Bibi, Ketzaleh likely cabinet choice

2009-02-20T06:01:00.000-08:00

Update: President Shimon Peres has chosen Benjamen Ntanyahu to be the next Israeli PM. Netanyahu now has 28 days to form a coalition. Due to Meretz, Kadima and Labor refusing to sit in any Likud led coalition, Netanyahu will be forced to make an alliance with the nationalist and religious parties. It is now almost certain that Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz will be named to the cabinet as an important part of the upcoming coalition.

Ketzaleh to step aside for Bank

2009-02-20T05:14:00.000-08:00

Uri Bank, #5 on the Ichud Leumi list and representative of the Moledet faction, has announced that Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz, party chairman, has agreed to quit his place in the Knesset in favor of Bank when he is invited to join the cabinet.

According to the Jerusalem Post

...National Union leader Yaakov Katz is expected to be appointed a minister in such a government, representing the four-MK faction in the cabinet. In a deal reached among the parties making up the National Union on December 28, Katz committed himself to resign from the Knesset if he became a minister in order to allow the fifth candidate on the list, American native Uri Bank, become an MK.

"If the list wins four mandates and an MK is appointed a minister, the minister will immediately quit the Knesset to allow Uri Bank to enter," the agreement signed by Katz says.

Uri Bank discussed this eventuality during the counting of military and overseas votes in the Knesset on February 12th.

"We must be Bibi's spine!"

2009-02-12T23:55:00.000-08:00

In light of Netanyahu's expressed willingness to compromise on the fundamental issues of conversion and civil marriage (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304770143&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull), it is imperative that we have a strong and united nationalist bloc with traditional Jewish and Zionist values that will stand to keep Bibi on the straight and narrow.

Uri Bank "still believes that his chances of gaining a seat in the legislature are good"

2009-02-12T23:32:00.001-08:00

Feb. 11, 2009
Tori Cheifetz , THE JERUSALEM POST

Despite predictions that Detroit-born Uri Bank, 5th on the National Union's candidates list, would win a Knesset seat in Tuesday's election, no Anglos made the cut.

Not even adopted-Anglo Einat Wilf, who was 14th on Labor's list, took a seat. Recent immigrant Danny Hershtal, from Canada, sent out an e-mail appealing to his Anglo-constituency on Election Day, but was also stymied.

During the campaign, the Likud made a push for Anglo support. it launched a Web site and held events geared to native English speakers. Despite the quartet of Anglo candidates on the party's list, none got in.

On January 31 at the Jerusalem Great Synagogue, candidates from nine parties pledged to address Anglo's concerns. But as Tuesday's elections results came in, English speakers were left asking who will address their needs?

The Anglo community needs to be represented and I intend to be that representation," Bank pledged.

He still believes that his chances of gaining a seat in the legislature are good, thanks to a deal reached within the National Union, according to which if it wins four seats (it did), and Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu names party head Yaakov Katz to his cabinet, Katz will resign from the Knesset and Bank will take his seat.

The National Union, which Bank told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday plans to be "at the forefront of aliya issues," believes these are not about the actual act of immigration, but the process of absorption that comes after.

"We have to encourage aliya," he said, "but nobody realizes that we also have to do much better on the absorption side. It's not just a question of Nefesh B'Nefesh doing all the work."

Bank's party plans to address key obstacles faced by new olim. The National Union Party will lobby to cancel a 2004 tax reform that taxes income from abroad. Bank vowed that if they couldn't cancel the tax, his party would ask for it to imposed only on immigrants who came after the reform was put into place.

"It's unjust. These people planned on spending a certain amount of money and then they had to pay more. You can't just place a tax reform on people retroactively," he said.

Bank also plans to address the issue of accreditation and licensing. "Is your knowledge of the human body any less because now you have to speak in Hebrew?" he asked. "It's ridiculous that olim have all this experience and yet they are subjected to months and months of 'internships.'"

Bank, who comes from a "culture of accountability," said that if he was given a seat in the Knesset he would have an open door policy for all his constituents, which he sees as "the entire Anglo community."

Hershtal is also an Anglo candidate who failed to win a seat on Tuesday. As the 21st candidate on Israel Beiteinu's list, Hershtal is not in a position to gain a seat, but has pledged to stay involved with the party specifically to advocate for the Anglo community.

"There are stumbling blocks that stop olim from coming or staying," he told the Post on Wednesday. "And Israel Beiteinu has always been in favor of reducing the bureaucracy faced by those making aliya."

Israel Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman was helping to privatize inefficient government monopolies, Hershtal said. "There needs to be a level playing field for olim," he said. "The government needs to allow for more competition."

Hershtal also said his party would be working closely with groups like Nefesh B'Nefesh and Ami, which aid people in the immigration process and their transition into Israeli society. Danny Ayalon, who became an Israel Beiteinu MK on Tuesday, is co-chairman of Nefesh B'Nefesh.

Another Anglo candidate, Alon Tal from North Carolina, was third on the Green Movement-Meimad's list, but the party did not reach 2 percent threshold to make it into the Knesset.

Wilf of Labor, who also failed to win a seat in the Knesset, was also expected to advocate for Anglo-issues. Although Israeli-born, Wilf, who was educated at both Harvard and Cambridge, was embraced by the English-speaking community after an appearance at the Anglo event at the Jerusalem Great Synagogue in January.

This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com /servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304755780&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull

The Ichud Leumi thanks its dedicated staff of volunteers

2009-02-10T14:42:00.000-08:00

Pictured: Media personality Yishai Fleisher and Uri Bank discuss strategy at a campaign meeting.

The Ichud Leumi would like to thank all of the staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to help bring Zionist values back to the Knesset. We would especially like to thank all of the people who helped put together our English language campaign. All of our success is only due to the efforts of those who believe in the Zionist cause and are willing to work hard and sacrifice for it. Thank you all.

Pictured: English campaign manager Yehuda HaKohen interviews party leader Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz at the Jerusalem Conference.

Pictured: Well known Zionist activist and Women-in-Green head Nadia Matar campaigning for the Ichud Leumi in down-town Jerusalem.

Likud, Labor monitors in Har Nof support Tet

2009-02-10T05:55:00.001-08:00

It has just come to our attention, that after speaking with the Ichud Leumi representative at the polling station in Har Nof, Jerusalem, the representatives of both the Likud and Labor parties began telling voters to choose Tet this morning. All you have to do is present the facts and any reasonable person will draw the correct conclusion.

Ichud Leumi Missing Bnei Brak Ballots

2009-02-10T02:56:00.000-08:00

(INN.com) The Ichud Leumi (National Union) complained to the Central Elections Committee on Tuesday that its ballots were missing from dozens of polling places in Bnei Brak.

Party chairman Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz said "Gimmel [the ballot symbol for United Torah Judaism] activists panicked because of our erosion [of their power in the hareidi city -ed.]"

Ichud Leumi commentary:

According to the LifeinIsrael blog:

UTJ is courting the Arab vote, claiming they will fight against Lieberman's racism.
UTJ MK Moshe Gafni says:
we are against racism and for the Torah, and the Torah clearly says 'Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt,'" (Exodus 23:9).

Evidently the UTJ has taken to perverting the Torah and common sense to garner votes from the very same Arabs who chased Jews out of Um al-Fahm today with thrown rocks and chants of "death to the Jews!" The law quoted does not apply to a hostile population, but rather to a friendly one that accepts the basic rules of human discourse and civilized behavior. It is our sincere hope that we can put such foolish rivalries behind us and work together, as Jews, to build up our state to be a light unto the nations.

We hold out an olive branch of peace and co-operation to any and all Gimmelniks, especially those supporters who wish to work with the Ichud Leumi, and call upon them to entreat their activists and leaders to follow the Gimmel voters who have already begun to migrate over towards Jewish and Zionist principles of the Ichud Leumi.

Arabs chant "death to the Jews", Police capitulate to Arab mob including MK Muhammad Barakeh, ban Jewish monitors from Um al-Fahm

2009-02-10T02:05:00.000-08:00

"Israeli Arab" racism exemplified:

A 37-year-old woman who identified herself only as Majda said she would make sure to vote for an Arab party on Tuesday, although she still hadn't decided which one.
"The most important thing is to vote for an Arab party and against the Jews," she said. (JPOST)

(IsraelNN.com) MK Aryeh Eldad (Ichud Leumi/National Union) left Umm El-Fahm after an Arab mob began rioting and threatening him. Rocks were thrown at security forces, and shouts of "Death to the Jews!" could be heard. However, Eldad's spokeswoman Na'ama Cohen denied that Eldad left because of Arab rioting.

She said that Eldad had not planned to spend the entire day at Umm El-Fahm and that he decided to leave for other polling stations after sitting at the Umm El-Fahm station for about an hour. She said police had provided excellent protection and were not at fault.

Police arrested five rioters.

MK Eldad claimed that the event was a victory for the National Union. "We proved to the Arab public that Umm El-Fahm, too, is part of the Land of Israel. There was no surrender to the Arabs." Eldad said he had coordinated with the police in advance that he would only remain at the polling station for one hour.

Eldad had entered the Israeli Arab city of Umm el-Fahm in the middle of Tuesday morning to act as chairman of the election committee at Polling Place #12 in the city's Arzi neighborhood. Eldad replaced Baruch Marzel, the Land of Israel activist who was prevented by police from entering the city because of threats on his life. Eldad told Ynet, "I definitely do not fear for my life."%ad%

Eldad came to Umm el-Fahm in a police car, amid a heavy police presence. Referring to the police protection he received and the police refusal to allow Marzel into Umm el-Fahm and the protection, Eldad said, "I could not believe that the State of Israel would give in to terror and I'm glad to see that this did not happen. I have immunity and the police department is doing its job, at least for me."

The voters at Polling Station 12 underwent bodily security checks before entering the booth in order to protect Eldad from possible attack.

Police 'surrendered'
In response to the police decision to block Marzel from entering the city and carrying out his duty, MK Eldad said: "The Israel Police, apparently at [Attorney General Menachem] Mazuz's instructions, surrendered this morning to the Arab terror of Israel's enemies from within. The State of Israel has announced openly that it surrenders to violence, blackmail and treachery from the Arab sector." MK Eldad said the polls in Umm el-Fahm should be closed for fear of election fraud.

Leaders of the Ichud Leumi (National Union) party called on Tuesday for polls in the Israeli Arab city of Umm el-Fahm to be closed and votes from their invalidated, following the police decision to bar Marzel from carrying out his duties as election monitor there. Party chairman Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz said his party would demand the invalidation of votes from unmonitored polling places, calling the police decision a "surrender to terror".

The Commander of the Police's Amakim Region, Brig-Gen.Zohar Dvir, met Land of Israel activist Baruch Marzel at Barka'I Junction on Highway 65 and handed him an official letter announcing he could not enter Umm El Fahm. Police said the decision was "based upon intelligence reports of a serious danger to the public safety and in order to make it possible to hold elections properly and without disorder."

'Black day for democracy'
Marzel, whose faction is part of the Ichud Leumi (National Union) party, said that the decision made this day "a black day for democracy." Israeli police, he added, "are surrendering to a bunch of thugs. Today provided proof that the police do not control the Northern District. This is a shame and a disgrace." Marzel added that he would decide on legal steps as soon as he was officially informed of the police announcement.

The police said they had intelligence of concrete plans to harm Marzel if he entered the city. Dozens of Arabs gathered at the entrance to the city from the early morning hours in order to block Marzel. They were joined by MK Muhammad Barakeh of the Communist Hadash party. A sizeable police contingent headed by the Commander of the Police's Northern District, Brig-Gen Shimon Koren was also on hand.

The Arabs, who were led by members of Umm El-Fahm's municipality, inspected "suspicious" cars at the entrance to the city and a confrontation occurred when a car carrying religious Jewish ballot booth inspectors tried to enter. Police did not enable the Jews to enter and carry out their duty but rather whisked them away to the nearby police station.

Arab Ra'am Ta'al Party Sends Rep to Beit El
The Arab Ra'am Ta'al party, meanwhile, sent its own representative, as planned, to monitor the national elections in the Samarian Jewish community of Beit El.

Ra'am Ta'al MK Ahmed Tibi had previously vowed that the party would not send a representative because it does not recognize Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.

Israel National News, which is based in Beit El, notes that the representative is a Jewish member of the party, and not an Arab.

Eldad: Secular Nationalists, Yisrael Beiteinu and Ichud Leumi

2009-02-09T21:17:00.001-08:00

New Ichud Leumi video page

2009-02-09T19:14:00.000-08:00

The Ichud Leumi has created a new webpage to showcase videos relating to the elections and the current political situation. It is worth a look.

Click here to see the new page.

Text of the LifeinIsrael interview with Uri Bank

2009-02-09T17:44:00.001-08:00

This is the verbatim text of the blog post by Rafi Goldmeier in which he interviews candidate Uri Bank.

I have been given the opportunity to interview Uri Bank, a candidate on the Ichud Leumi, National Union, party list. The interview was delayed because Uri was called up for reserve duty in the Gaza War.

Uri Bank, 40, a political strategist and administrator, made aliya from the United States when he was twelve years old. At the age of seventeen, when his family returned to the States, he decided to stay in Israel on his own. He was a resident of the Gilo neighborhood of Jerusalem for 22 years, and moved to the community of Nevei Daniel in Gush Etzion in 2004. Uri is married and the father of three. He holds bachelor degrees in Political Science and Multidisciplinary Studies from the Faculties of Social Sciences and Humanities of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Uri served in the Tank Corps as a “chayal boded” (a “lone-soldier” – a soldier who has no family in Israel) under the auspices of the Kibbutz Hadati’s Shiluv Program. This five-year program combines a full three years of army duty with two years of yeshiva study. Uri serves as a tank-commander in the reserves.

Uri is the Chairman of the Moledet Party’s Executive Board. He was recently elected number one on the Moledet slate for Knesset, which places him at number five on the joint Ichud Leumi (National Union) slate for the 18^th Knesset.

Uri’s experience includes:

· Director of the Ichud Leumi-Israel Beiteinu Faction in the Knesset.

· Executive Director of the IDF preparatory yeshiva (“mechina”) in Nokdim.

· Senior Advisor to MK Benny Elon – both in the Knesset and during Minister Elon’s terms as Minister of Tourism. In this capacity, Uri worked extensively on legislation such as:

o Obliging the Government to obtain the approval of at least 61 Members of Knesset before negotiating with any other entity regarding the borders of the State of Israel.

o Weaning the country’s budget off of its dependency on American financial support, in order to increase Israel’s independence in policy-making.

o Applying Israeli civil law to the residents of Yesha.

o Shortening the work-week to make Sunday a day-of rest.

o Amending the tax-reform bill to reduce its harmful implications for Olim

Q: Why did you decide to get into politics in Israel, and why specifically with the Ichud Leumi party?

Uri: I've always believed in actively trying to implement and actuate my ideals instead of sitting on the sidelines while criticizing others and/or the given situation. This is why I became an activist on the grass-roots level while still a student at Hebrew U. Those were the Oslo years and my friends and I were out in the streets doing our very best to warn the Israeli public what would happen if land and guns were conceded to the palestinians under the flawed Land for Peace paradigm. Unfortunately, our warnings went unheeded and the price has been the terrible bloodshed that has unfolded ever since.

I am an idealist and believe in standing up for what I believe in - even if it means self-sacrifice when it comes to my time, my strength, my resources and my own position in life and/or politics.

I chose the Moledet party specifically because it was the only party that offered a real diplomatic alternative to the Oslo Accords/Road Map etc. It was the one party of the National Camp that was actually not only saying "NO" to the left-wing's suicidal plans, but actually offering up a viable plan of its own in order to end the Israeli-Arab conflict. The other element that attracted me to Moledet was the fact that it was not a sectarian party defined by religous or ethnic lines, but one who's ideology entails orthodox and secular Jews working together in true harmony. One of the things we make sure of is that none of members are "anti"... one cannot be a member of Moledet if one is anti-orthodox and the same is true if one is anti-secular. We are interested in people being good Jews, which means close to Jewish tradition and heritage, but not necessarily everyone being orthodox or the opposite.

The Moledet Party has always been one of the parties that make up the joint Ichud Leumi list for Knesset - ever since the Ichud's inception in 1999. The two conditions that Moledet has set down for its participation, which the joint Ichud Leumi list has always met, are the two issues I mentioned above: the list's platform including Moledet's diplomatic plan for resolvingthe Israeli-Arab conflict and the list including representatives of both the orthodox and the secular parts of Israeli society.

Q: How did you, a relative newcomer, get so highly placed on the Ichud leumi list?

Uri:Many people assume that as an English speaker, I must be a newcomer, but I have lived in Israel my entire adult life. I got involved in Israeli politics 15 years ago and have slowly but surely moved up in the ranks during that period of time.

Q: What do you bring to the Ichud that made you so obviously attractive to them?

Uri: I have accumulated a great deal of legislative experience as MK/Minister Benny Elon’s longtime senior aide and have had extensive experience in dealing with Knesset politics. I have served as director of the Ichud Leumi faction in the Knesset and I have been the Chairman of the Moledet party's executive Board for the past six years. I am also the Executive Director of the Israel Initiative, the only nationalist plan offered as an alternative to the Oslo paradigm and a member of the JNF Board of Directors. All of these positions have made me a uniquely prepared candidate; one that will be able to "hit the ground running" once elected to Knesset, without the long learning process that is characteristic for new MK's.

Q: Please tell us, the voters, why vote Ichud Leumi over any other right wing party (not against any specific party, but why specifically Ichud Leumi).

Uri: If you wish to understand a party, any party, you must look at two things, their voting record and their platform. I think that it has become abundantly clear that the Ichud Leumi has been the only party that has shown a consistent and strong opposition to territorial compromise. The Ichud Leumi is the only party that totally negates the institution of another palestinian state west of the Jordan River or any other type of giving land/sovereignty to Arabs, as well as being the only party that is promoting any kind of viable alternative peace plan that will bring real peace to Israel (see: www.Israelinitiative.com).

We have consistently been the most responsible voice in Israeli politics, warning anyone who cared to listen that the Land for Peace paradigm was doomed to fail and that conceding any land to the Arabs would only get us (and them…) more bloodshed. We are the modern-day Halutzim. The pioneers that have built up this country and were willing to live in Yehuda, Shomron and Gush Katif under harsh and dangerous conditions in order to protect the rest of Israel's citizens.

We are proud of the fact that we were successful in uniting five different parties and of the fact that we have Secular Jews and Haredi Jews as a central part of our leadership and constituency. Our commitment to cooperate with one another is not out of political need, but out of an ideology of Achdut Yisrael and together we create a much stronger force to fight for Am, Eretz and Torat Yisrael.

Our Chairman Ketzaleh and MK Uri Ariel have done no less, and maybe even more, than the Mafdal reps. when it comes to securing government funding for the Zionut HaDatit institutions and Arutz 7 and you can bank on the fact that they both will continue to do so with their proven talents and track records.

And on top of all of the above - you get one thing more when you vote for the Ichud Leumi... and that's me! The Jerusalem Post has recently named me: "the only Anglo candidate running with a party currently represented in the Knesset who has any chance of getting elected." I have formulated an initiative to help cut through the red-tape and injustices that many times accompany Western Olim absorption into the Israeli society and work force. Please see the attached document for the full details of this initiative. According to the most recent polls, I am the one who is now on the cusp. Voting for the Ichud Leumi will likely get me into Knesset, where I intend to serve as the Anglo Community's Congressman to whom I will be accountable.

Q: What is your opinion on the split in the National Religious political world and Ichud not running together with Bayit Yehudi? Will the split harm the right wing side of Israeli politics? Why could the unity party not work?

Uri: It is always a shame when there must be a political split. The Ichud Leumi believes in the essential unity of the Jewish people. This can be seen in the diverse composition of our party. The Ichud Leumi is constituted of Chassidim like Rabbi Wolpe, National Religious like MK Uri Ariel, Secular Jews like MK Dr. Arieh Eldad and many other strands of thought and lifestyle.

We have a vote sharing agreement with the Jewish Home party and look forward to working with them on legislation. However, the Jewish Home party has stated its intention to allow its MKs to vote as they wish on issues on territorial concessions.

Speaking with Arutz Sheva MK Nissan Slomiansky stated that “…it’s obvious that every Prime Minister in Israel has to talk with the PA; even I would talk with the PA……” The Jewish Home has declared itself to be neither a left wing, nor a right wing party. In effect, they have renounced nationalism and deterrence as part of their platform, and in doing so they have split the land of Israel camp.

Their previous Chairman Zvulun Orlev (the current #2 on their list) continued to sit in Ariel Sharon's government even after this government decided to expel the Jews of Gush Katif and Northern Shomron -thus contributing to Sharon's ability to actuate the expulsion plan.

Another advantage the Ichud Leumi has over the Jewish Home is that the Ichud Leumi represents the entire ethnic and ideological makeup of this nation while the Jewish Home is non-ideological and only represents the interests of one aspect, one group, within Am Yisrael. They are therefore a small, sectarian party that caters only to the National Orthodox community and does not serve as a bridge between the secular and orthodox sides of Israeli society. This is proven by the fact that they have never agreed to put a non-orthodox Jew on their list for Knesset.

Q: Which part do you see as being Ichud Leumi's main rival and competition for voters? Yisrael beiteinu? Bayit Yehudi? Likud? other?

Uri: I believe that the biggest danger to the land of Israel camp at this point stems from Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu party. Lieberman’s campaign slogan is about the trust that we must place in him. I truly believe that we must trust Lieberman to act according to his principles and that we must believe his words.

According to the Yisrael Beiteinu party platform “The responsibility for primarily Arab areas such as Umm Al-Fahm and the ‘triangle’ will be transferred to the Palestinian Authority. In parallel, Israel will officially annex Jewish areas in Judea and Samaria. Israel is our home; Palestine is theirs.” Lieberman would give up large tracts of land within the Green line and hand them over to a PA that has a history of terror and radicalization of its subject populace. Lieberman has also stated his intention to give up neighborhoods in East Jerusalem as part of any peace agreement. This would cause a repeat of the shootings on the Gilo neighborhood a hundred fold upon us.

Moreover, Lieberman’s support for civil marriage would destroy the very fabric from which our Jewish state is cut.

Israel Beiteinu has taken the position, if you actually read their platform, of dividing the state of Israel and even Jerusalem, bringing such places as Ben Gurion international airport and West Jerusalem under the type of attacks that are currently being perpetrated on Sderot, Ashkelon, Beer Sheva, Ashdod, Saad, Netivot and more, due to the Likud led disengagement, which Bibi voted for.

Q: How do you plan on attracting voters and convincing them to vote for you rather than for that party (from above - the primary competition)?

Uri: I think that the most important thing for us to do is to simply show people Lieberman’s ideas in his own words. It becomes pretty obvious, once you read his platform, that his toughness against the Arabs is a calculated pose, with nothing substantive behind it. He would be tough against the Arabs? Even Kadima voted to ban the Arab parties. He is just Kadima with tougher talk.

Q: Do you have a message to the wider public, or are you purely a "settler" party? The ads Ichud have been running have been pretty limited to the "settler" public - "To Settle the Land and not be Afraid". Is that your target audience or do you see the party having appeal to the public at large?

Uri: Our message is one for the entire population of Israel. Almost every city, town and village was settled or resettled some time within the last hundred or so years. I think that the message here is that we should not have to be afraid to put down our roots and to settle anywhere in Eretz Yisrael, pre or post ’67 borders. Settlement does not refer to Judea and Samaria. Settlement refers to the Golan, the Negev, expanding Bet Shemesh and Jerusalem and building new cities like Modi'in. However, the continuing expansion of our population and its related economic and cultural growth is impeded by Arab aggression and Jewish timidity.

How can our pioneers, who are settling the Negev and continuing to make it bloom, continuing the dream of such as Ben Gurion, continue to live when they are under missile attack? How can Nefesh B’Nefesh convince new Olim, as they have been attempting, to move up north when there is a persistent threat from Hezbollah? We stand for the right of Jews to live anywhere within our land and our country without fear and without prejudice. This is not a limited message, we are all pioneers. Rafi, I believe that you live in Ramat Bet Shemesh. This is a settlement. By right, it is no different than Sderot in the Negev, or Maaleh Efraim in the Jordan Valley. Do not forget, that the Arabs consider your home as much a settlement as mine in Gush Etzion.

Q: Ichud Leumi is made up of various factions that would have run alone and probably wasted votes. Can Marzel, or any other faction for that matter, veto any future coalition agreement with the Likud? What power do the individual factions within Ichud have on the party as a whole?

Uri: The parties will reach their decision by democratic majority within the elected Knesset faction. None of the parties has the power to veto decisions, but we will make every effort to reach joint, unanimous decisions whenever possible.

Q: Is there anything else, a message or point that you would like to take this opportunity to get across to the voters?

Uri: The future of the state of Israel is now at stake. As a believer, I do not for a moment doubt our right to this land, or our eventual triumph. However, there is nothing written that says that it must be easy or that there will not be hard times if we do not stand fast and work hard for the dreams of our Zionist forebears. The left has brought us to a situation where we have been asked to sacrifice needlessly on the alter of “process”. By this I mean that the idealistic (though flawed) attempts at peace by Yitzchak Rabin have been replaced by a continuing allegiance to a dead process that has not brought us any closer to peace, but has caused tremendous death and destruction on both sides. If you wish to find the root cause of Arab suffering since 1993, please look no further than our own “peaceful” left.

I do not wish to be a “sacrifice for peace” nor do I want anyone else to suffer for the left’s repeated mistakes. I believe that we have seen the results of concessions, results that the Ichud Leumi has warned about since the beginning. If we want a strong Israel, if we want a secure Israel, if we want an Israel that is proud of itself, then we must choose to support a party that will not cater to the defeatists on the left and that will not buckle under pressure from nations that stood by as six million Jews were murdered.

There is hope, there is a future, there will be security, but we must be strong and resolute. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it is the Ichud Leumi.

HAARETZ: Tzippi Livni: Short tempered and A.D.D.

2009-02-09T03:40:00.000-08:00

Tel-Chai Nation reports:

Ari Shavit's findings on Tzipi Livni

Ari Shavit, a reporter for Haaretz, has some interesting discoveries about Tzipi Livni:
Over the past week I took statements from about a dozen people who know Tzipi Livni quite well. None of them is close to either Benjamin Netanyahu or Ehud Barak. Most support Kadima or parties on the left. Nevertheless, all are concerned. The portrait they paint of Livni is a disturbing one.

"Kadima's chairwoman is a principled, patriotic, exemplary human being. She is intelligent and a quick study. But there is one fault that no one disputes: Livni is short-tempered. Her more serious critics believe she has an attention deficit. She is incapable of delving into the details of a document or of sustaining an extended discussion. She does not stay with a topic until it has been completely clarified. Her thinking is not clear and she cannot distinguish the wheat from the chaff. Unlike Netanyahu and Barak, who can get to the bottom of an issue and discuss it in all its complexity, Livni tends to oversimplify, to go for the schematic. One of the most respected figures in the country says she is opinionated and superficial."

Read the rest, but let me just note that Livni is anything but patriotic, and I wouldn't be surprised if she weren't that principled either. Nor do I personally consider her particularly intelligent. But I guess this is as honest a take as you can get from a left-wing newspaper on what Livni is really like.

Kibbutznik Commander: "Support Them because Their Way is Right"

2009-02-09T00:26:00.000-08:00

(IsraelNN.com) Ketzaleh's commander, Amotz Yachen, is a life long Kibbutznik who has come out in support of the National Union (Ichud Leumi).

Click here.

News report on viral video exposing Yisrael Beiteinu's leftist policies: "Vote Lieberman, Get Livni"

2009-02-09T00:23:00.000-08:00

Jblog endorsements

2009-02-08T10:22:00.000-08:00

The endorsements are in. According to the latest Havei Haveilim Jblog carnival eleven (witha twelfth leaning towards us) out of eighteen bloggers chose the Ichud Leumi. This implies that the well informed (such as news junkie Jbloggers) support our party. The more you know, the more likely you are to choose MKs like ours.

Joe Settler: A vote for Lieberman is a vote for Livni

2009-02-08T10:10:00.003-08:00

Click here for original post.

There is no question about it.

Anyone foolish enough to vote for Lieberman thinking they may get a right-wing party, is in actuality giving a vote to Tzippy Livni and Kadima.

There has been much speculation as to why Lieberman has been growing (at the Likud's expense), but one interesting theory espoused is that Lieberman is getting the Tommy Lapid/Shinui vote. Those people who voted out of hatred for the Hareidim, are now voting out of hatred for the Arabs. That's a scary thought.

But let's get back to the topic at hand. Lieberman sat in the Kadima government and propped up Ehud Olmert - exactly when his government was in such bad shape that elections were just around the corner.

Lieberman has no problem sitting with a Leftist party like Kadima, and has quite decisively not announced he would support a Bibi government over Livni's. You might say he is posturing before elections, but that clearly is not the case. Lieberman will sit wherever he gets more ministerial seats.

Worse, as Caroline Glick pointed out, Leiberman did nothing to prevent or slow down Iran's nuclear ambitions while he had his custom tailored ministerial seat, and worse, he kept the frozen Kadima government in power and delayed elections which just extended this inaction.

United for the Land of Israel

2009-02-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

by Aliza Karp

(IsraelNN.com) Professor Ron Breiman from North Tel Aviv is the clean-shaven chairman of Professors for a Strong Israel, an organization made up of professors from exact sciences. Yaakov Katz of Beit El is a full-bearded leader in the initiative for Jews to take up residence in the Biblical areas of Eretz Yisroel. He has established yeshivas and a right-wing media network.

Breiman lives in an area of Tel Aviv where houses are modern, convenient and upscale. Baruch Marzel’s home is in Tel Rumeida, Hevron. It is definitely his home, but it is not a house. It is a caravan. From all the Americans who have visited Boruch and wanted to upgrade his simple accommodations, Baruch will only take money for his many charitable organizations and social projects.

Different philosophies, different profiles and different lifestyles - unified for Shlaimos HaAretz (the unity of the Land of Israel).

MK Professor Arieh Eldad is on leave from his successful career - professor of medicine and department head at Hadassah Ein Kerem - because he saw a need in the Knesset for members who are uncompromising when it comes to the integrity and security of Jewish life in Eretz Yisroel.

Uri Ariel is closely linked with well-respected Rabbi Dov Lior of Kiryat Arba. Michael Ben-Ari, PhD, is a student of Rabbi Meir Kahane and has a great respect for the teachings of Chabad. Uri Bank is soft-spoken, but he is a hard-liner when it comes to Shlaimos HaAretz.

Eldad explains that there is one common denominator that is a unifying force for the above-mentioned candidates in the upcoming election. That common denominator is Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel). These are people who give their life for Eretz Yisroel. They are not interested in personal recognition or personal gain. They are interested in Eretz Yisroel for Am Yisroel (the People of Israel).

They are group of productive, industrious, responsible, moral, committed, honest members of Am Yisroel, dedicated to Am Yisroel, and dedicated to Eretz Yisroel for Am Yisroel. Period. Together, they form a mosaic wherein each tile retains its own color and together the tiles form a beautiful image - as long as they fit inside the given boundaries of the total picture - and those given boundaries happen to be their commitment to the extended boundaries of Eretz Yisroel.

When it comes to making an intelligent choice when voting, it is always good to judge candidates by their past actions rather than their current campaign promises. Below is a list of so-called right-wing parties and the proof of the depth of their (lack of) commitment to Eretz Yisroel for Am Yisroel:

Likud - The Likud is responsible for uprooting Yamit and the surrounding area. They are responsible for the Disengagement. Binyamin Netanyahu, the current leader of Likud, sent an envoy to Syria to negotiate the Golan and he surrendered Hevron in the Wye Agreement. Netanyahu, Limor Livnat, Silvan Shalom, Yuval Steinetz, Yisrael Katz and other Likud members at the top of their list voted for the Disengagement. Netanyahu denounced the Disengagement as being immoral only after he had given his support so it could be implemented.

When asked for his opinion about Moshe Feiglin in the Likud, Eldad responded, “Moshe Feiglin gives the wrong impression of the Likud. He is like a fig leaf covering the essence of the reality in the party.”

Yisrael Beiteinu - The platform of this party clearly states under what conditions they consider it legitimate to establish an Arab state in Eretz Yisroel. Once a party is comfortable with the idea of land concessions, the rest is negotiable. They state openly that they feel it is necessary to split Jerusalem. Leader of Yisrael Beiteinu, Avigdor Lieberman, admits he is willing to give up his own home in Nokdim to make room for the enemy state in the Jewish homeland.

Shas - Shas has been showing concern for Homesh and they even set up an office in Beit HaShalom in Hevron. But their history shows them as being for sale to any government. They allowed the Oslo Agreement to pass - by one vote. They could have stopped Oslo had they participated in the vote instead of abstaining. They are currently sitting in the government with Ehud Olmert. It was Shas that gave then-Prime Mininster Ehud Barak the support he needed to offer arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat Jewish land. Luckily, Arafat declined the offer. Spiritual mentor of Shas, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, says that we can give up land for pikuach nefesh, to save lives, when it has been proven that giving up land costs lives, the recent war being a fresh and painful example.

The Jewish Home Party - This is actually the National Religious Party, which gave Ariel Sharon the support he needed in order to carry out the Disengagement. Their policy is that should they have to choose between closing one classroom of one of their schools or giving away land, they would choose to give away land.

In order to get public approval for the Disengagement, the public was convinced that the Jews living in Gush Katif were the reason the army had to serve there. They did not want their sons to have to serve in Gaza just because of ‘settlers.’ The current war should be proof that the army is in Gaza because of the terrorists, not because of the Jews. The land give-away produced not peace, but war. Yet, lo and behold, even the right-wing parties are willing to support further land giveaways.

The country is so small! We are being attacked in the south and the north - and only one unique group stands alone in adamantly refusing to concede land.

What glue is strong enough to keep this union unified? Secular professors, religious Zionists, Kahane followers and Chabadniks agree that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jews not because of the United Nations and not because of the might of the army, but by the will of HaShem and the Torah of Israel. This basic foundation of faith is our four-thousand-year-old glue that has proven to survive turbulence and turmoil - as it keeps Am Yisroel and Eretz Yisroel sticking together.

This is the glue that has united Yaakov Katz, Uri Ariel, Arieh Eldad, Uri Bank and Michael Ben-Ari to run for the Knesset together under the banner of Ichud Leumi, the National Union.

www.Is

Updates

2009-02-08T08:27:00.001-08:00

Eldad: Use Money for Education and Health

Reported: 16:30 PM - Feb/08/09

(IsraelNN.com) Ichud Le’umi (National Union) MK Aryeh Eldad protested the government’s decision Sunday to build a new residence for the Prime Minister and said the money should go to education or health. The government decided Sunday to dedicate 650 million shekels to building the new residence.

Eldad said that the government seems to be completely unaware that the rest of the country is experiencing a recession. In addition, Eldad called on the next Prime Minister to cancel the plans and do something better with the money.

Ariel: Don’t Free Terrorists

Reported: 15:47 PM - Feb/08/09

(IsraelNN.com) MK Uri Ariel of the Ichud Le’umi (National Union) sent an urgent letter to outgoing Prime Minister Olmert Sunday asking him not to free terrorists in exchange for kidnapped prisoner Gilad Shalit. Reports in the Arab press on Sunday indicated that Israel was willing to exchange over 1,000 prisoners in return for Shalit.

Ariel explained, “Giving in to the kidnappers will only bring more kidnappings.” Ariel also explained that “freeing murderers will turn Hamas’ loss in the war to a victory.” Instead of freeing terrorists, Ariel proposes that the government place pressure on Hamas by stopping the transfer of money, goods and energy to Gaza.

Campaigning in Jerusalem

2009-02-08T03:40:00.000-08:00

PSAK HALACHA: Vote Ichud Leumi

2009-02-08T03:07:00.000-08:00

The Rabbanim of several prominent Jewish institutions have proclaimed a psak halacha (Jewish legal ruling) for their followers to voe for the Ichud Leumi. Click here and here for more information.

New website explains why to vote for Ichud Leumi

2009-02-08T03:03:00.000-08:00

Jacob Richman has posted a page on his personal website explaining the reasons for voting for the Ichud Leumi. It is worth a look. The Ichud Leumi thanks Jacob for his support and help.

http://www.jr.co.il/ichud-leumi/index.html

Eve Harrow debates for the Ichud Leumi

2009-02-07T23:21:00.001-08:00

Skip to 6:51 to see Eve Harrow debate for the Ichud Leumi at the Sderot Media Center English debate at the OU Israel Center.

Uri Bank on Israel National TV

2009-02-07T18:20:00.001-08:00

Uri Bank on Rafi Goldmeier's LIfe in Israel

2009-02-07T17:34:00.000-08:00

Rafi Goldmeier, the popular Ramat Bet Shemesh blogger and commentator, has just posted an exclusive interview with Knesset candidate and veteran activist Uri Bank. Goldmeier sent Uri a list of questions by email, but due to Uri's involvement in reserve duty during and after the Cast Lead operation, he was only able to answer them in the last days leading up to the election. Such dedication to defending Jewish lives above his own personal interests has been a defining characteristic of Uri Bank's since he first began his political career.

The interview is posted online on the Life in Israel blog and can be found at http://tinyurl.com/lifeinisraelwithuribank.

JPost: MK hopeful Bank hopes to 'Bibi-sit' Likud on olim rights, Palestinians

2009-02-05T01:26:00.000-08:00

Feb. 5, 2009
Max Socol , THE JERUSALEM POST

With Tuesday's election fast approaching, Uri Bank appears to have successfully positioned himself to join the next Knesset as a National Union MK.

Bank, 40, a member of Moledet who lives in Neveh Daniel, in Gush Etzion, with his wife and three children, made aliya from Chicago when he was 12 and stayed when his parents left the country five years later.

As the only Anglo candidate with a chance in this election, he bills himself as a product of Western governance, entering a parliamentary system in great need of Western reforms.

"In between elections, there's this political culture where Israelis have no one to represent them," Bank said on Wednesday. "I've promised that I intend to bring a culture of accountability with me."

Recent projections suggest that the National Union will win four or five seats, although Bank said his internal polling now gave the party six mandates.

Those numbers are enough to guarantee Bank will become an MK - unlike fellow Anglo candidate Shalom Lerner, who, at a distant 39th on the Likud list (representing Effi Eitam's Ahi party), has the next-best opportunity to enter the Knesset. Lerner has lived in New York, Baltimore and London

Bank is No. 5 on the National Union's candidates list, but the party has agreed that if it wins four seats and enters the government, its minister would quit the Knesset to make room for Bank. They also decided that Bank would become the faction's manager in the Knesset if they win fewer than five seats and remain in the opposition.

Both Bank and Lerner are better positioned than the other Anglo candidates, who are confined to an assortment of Green parties struggling to get into the Knesset.

Bank wants to use Knesset vote as leverage to give the National Union more control over the future of the Palestinians. He remained unimpressed with Likud leader Binymain Netanyahu's Palestinian policy. "Looking at the past 15 years, we [the smaller parties] have proven ourselves to be the responsible leaders," Bank said. "We're going to be the 'Bibi-sitters.' He needs a group of people truly loyal to Israel to keep him in check."

Under the leadership of the retiring MK Benny Elon, the National Union has developed "The Israeli Initiative," which advocates the voluntary transfer of the West Bank's Arab population to a Palestinian state created from the territory of Jordan.

Bank pledged to continue to push the plan, despite Elon's failure to gain any traction with Jordanian authorities.

"I think I have a better understanding, like all English-speaking olim, on how to deal with the international community," Bank said. "Israelis are sometimes in awe of the international community, and they tend to capitulate in ways that undermine the security of Israel."

According to Bank, the National Union will resist such concessions, including to new US Middle East envoy George Mitchell. In 2001, Mitchell led a government commission exploring the origins of the second intifada, in which he suggested freezing all settlement growth.

"We'll be able to stand up to that kind of pressure," Bank said. "We'll say, 'Don't ask us to do something that you would never do yourselves.' And if [the US] does ask, the answer will be 'no.'"

Bank said he intended to make the National Union a central element in addressing the concerns of immigrants, from taxes to housing.

"I see myself as a congressman, with a constituency. I'm going to have an open-door policy for the Anglo community, with some mother-tongue English-speaking staff," he said.

He is challenging campaign territory held by the Likud, which has worked hard to win the support of Israel's Anglo population, using an English-language Web site and advertisements, and frequent political gatherings and rallies in English.

Bank hopes to challenge the Likud's entire governing philosophy, from a post within its coalition.

"As much as it pains me to agree with Shimon Peres, he was right that you can't just negate what your rival is saying," Bank said. "No one gave an alternative to the Left's land-for-peace plan. You can't win if you don't have an alternative."

Ichud Leumi Touring Wadi Ara Today

2009-02-05T00:32:00.000-08:00

The Ichud Leumi (National Union) Knesset list will tour Wadi Ara early Thursday afternoon and take a close look at the illegal Arab construction in the region.

After the elections, the Ichud Leumi intends to create to establish a body that will monitor and document illegal Arab construction in pre-1967 Israel and the occupation of government land. The new body will also suggest solutions for the phenomenon.

Batya Medad: The Great Right Hope

2009-02-04T15:14:00.000-08:00

Click here to read why the Ichud Leumi is the great right hope.

Ichud Leumi tours the Shomron (Samaria)

2009-02-04T04:44:00.001-08:00

We were right

2009-02-04T04:43:00.001-08:00

Brig.-Gen. Amatzia "Patzi" Chen speaks out about Ketzaleh

2009-02-03T23:30:00.000-08:00

by Chagit Rotenberg

(IsraelNN.com) Brig.-Gen. Amatzia "Patsi" Chen, former commander of Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz in the legendary Shaked Commando Unit, says no one can compare to Ketzaleh in bravery, proven accomplishments, integrity, and sacrifice for the Land of Israel. Patsi remembers the words Ketzaleh said to him when Ketzaleh was bleeding heavily from severe wounds. Patsi tells Ketzaleh that he must strive to be Prime Minister.

This article originally appeared in BeSheva magazine
Translation by Rochel Sylvetsky

He calls Ketzaleh “my son,” and though years have passed since that fateful day during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, he gets emotional when telling the story of the military operation that ended with the almost fatal injury to Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz, now Chairman of the Ichud Leumi (National Union) party. Brig.-Gen. Amatzia Chen, known as Patsi, was Ketzaleh’s commander in the legendary Shaked Commando Unit, and afterwards in the elite force of Shaked’s officers that Patsi formed in the middle of the war. During a daring raid in which the small force, only 12 fighters strong, took on over 130 Egyptian commandos, an RPG scored a direct hit on one of the Shaked troop carriers—the one Ketzaleh and his closest friends were in.

Patsi will never forget what Ketzaleh said to him during those blood drenched moments of fire and smoke. He recalls: “We had no medic and few medical supplies, but we did our best to help the wounded, and especially Ketzaleh, who was literally cut in two except for a part of his pelvis which somehow held his body together. It was obvious that without a helicopter to evacuate him, his chances of survival were nil, so I requested the command post to send one. ‘Negative’, was the answer I received from the assistant division commander, Yaakov Even, later promoted to General. ‘The air force refuses to send one because you are too close to the battlefront,' they said. For me, this was a moment that was just too much to bear.”

However, just minutes later the voice on the microphone changed to the voice of the division commander, Ariel Sharon, who informed Patsi that a helicopter would be landing within minutes to evacuate the wounded. “I went over to Ketzaleh, who was on the verge of losing consciousness, and said: ‘Ketzaleh, my son, in five minutes a helicopter will be here and with the help of G-d, you will be saved.’” And how did he respond? Ketzaleh, without any blood left in his body and with the last bit of strength he had, said to me: “Patsi, if I have lived to hear you say the words ‘with the help of G-d,’ that was the divine reason behind my being wounded.’”

When Patsi combines his memories of Ketzaleh's idealism and strength, with the other character traits he sees in his old friend from the commando force, it is clear to him where Ketzaleh really belongs: “These abilities are enough to make him a fitting Prime Minister. Add to that his superior intelligence, pleasant personality and willingness to sacrifice himself, especially in comparison with the worthless people who created the problems we face and then have the audacity to claim they can solve them,” alluding to the political leaders we have today.

Brig.-Gen. Amatzia "Patzi" Chen

Patsi continues: “The rostrum of top political figures today is personally responsible for the problems they are asking the voters to let them solve. It’s just incredible. They were the cause of the situation we face and won’t admit their failure. Those who cannot own up to their mistakes cannot possibly avoid repeating them in the future. The way things stand, even a mediocre person would be an improvement on the three leading politicians of today, let alone Ketzaleh, whom I recognized as a true leader from way back during his army service."

"Ketzaleh is one of those people who doesn’t just talk, he really does things - the settlement of Samaria and the blossoming garden that was uprooted in Gaza are his accomplishments. That’s what one should be able to expect from a leader. We are talking here about a man of action, and not just any action, but those accomplishments that are critical to ensure our continued presence in the Land of Israel.”

When Patsi, who is now retired from the IDF and lives in Carmei Yosef located between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, heard that his old friend is the head of a party running for Knesset, he knew who he was going to support in the upcoming elections. That, however, was not enough for him. Without hesitation, Patsi called Ketzaleh and said: "You should aim already now to be Prime Minister.” No less.

“If we go by Ketzaleh's track record, we are talking about a Zionistic, honest leader, whose entire adult life has been devoted to strengthening the State of Israel as opposed to the more common type of politician here - that is, those whose own interests are their real concern. I am talking about a man whose ability overshadows all the existing contenders for leadership positions,” he adds to explain his support.

Patsi feels that his fellow commando officer has the necessary charisma to lead a ruling party: “People are drawn to Ketzaleh’s charisma. That’s what happened in Judea and Samaria where people followed him because only a man of faith like him, who believes in the ideals he espouses and has the self confidence to act upon them, can be a real leader, in contrast to the other members of the political echelons around us. They may even be good people, but because they have no backbone, they join the system and soon drown in the general political morass. This kind of thing won’t affect Ketzaleh at all, because he is a man of faith, diligence and real integrity, and that is why I want him part of the next government.”%ad%

As a longtime observer of events, Patsi has a great deal to say about the behavior of Israel’s politicians. He points out what he considers a serious flaw: “The biggest problem facing Israel is the lack of personal accountability. After every disaster, a statutory committee of inquiry is created, but its conclusions are irrelevant except for ascribing personal responsibility to one person. No one realizes that blaming someone for a specific incident leaves a vacuum in personal responsibility that is not filled until another disaster follows the first."

The above failure in leadership is one that Patsi feels the Ichud Leumi (National Union) party will be able to change. “I know Ketzaleh and Uri [Ariel] really well, and I am convinced that because personal political gain does not interest them in the slightest, they can bring about a change that will result in everyone’s accepting responsibility at each level. This will be a real revolution in the quality of government that our elected officials deliver. Instead of our serving them, they will start serving the public.”

Patsi is furious at the pursuit of honor and personal gain that characterizes Israel’s top leadership today. “The most blatant examples of people whose own interests dominate their actions are Olmert, Barak, Livni and their friends. Someone who can change this and triple - at the very least - the present effectiveness of Israel’s policies is a true leader who sees the good of the state as his primary goal, before his own personal benefit. Uri Ariel, Arye Eldad and Ketzaleh [the three top candidates on the Ichud HaLeumi list] are dedicated to ideas, not to themselves.”

The degeneration of integrity of Israel’s politicians, according to Patsi, is what really led to the Oslo Agreement catastrophe that befell the citizens of Israel. “The national steadfastness that was attained by the early 80’s gave the political leaders, whose personal gain came first, an overdose of confidence to the point that they felt they could place vital national interests on the diplomatic negotiating table in pursuit of their own political theories. They caused a terrible split with those who love this country. In the end they also brought about the Oslo Agreement, the Hamas, Hizballah and PLO—these are all their creations for which they should hide their heads in shame.”

In closing, Patsi points to an advantage that Ketzaleh's party has over the others: “There is an albatross around the neck of every other political leader in Israel, and that is their track record in the political and foreign affairs developments of recent years. Bibi [Netanyahu], for example, handed over Hevron to the Arabs and opened the Western Wall tunnels without checking that the army was prepared for the consequences. These things are ingrained in his record. [The Labor party's] Ehud Barak initiated the fleeing from Lebanon that brought the Second Intifada upon us and all the ensuing troubles. [The Kadima party's] Tzipi Livni is directly responsible for the public relations failure of the last war, and there is no way to forgive or atone for that."

In the Ichud Leumi party, the candidates have a clean slate. Ketzaleh, aside from his personal traits, is free of these blemishes and brings with him a great love of the Land of Israel and responsibility to it and its citizens. What more does a citizen like me need?”

Who is Ketzaleh?

2009-02-03T23:29:00.001-08:00

Ichud Leumi: Revolutionary Reform for Western Olim

2009-02-03T12:16:00.000-08:00

By Ben Zimmerman

(IsraelNN.com)

Uri Bank, Candidate Number 5 on the Ichud Leumi (National Union) list, unveils a new revolutionary approach to western Aliyah [immigration to Israel]. He hopes to broaden the focus to meet the needs of the western Olim [immigrants] he hopes to represent in the next Knesset.

This past Saturday night, 1,700 English-speaking Israelis packed into Jerusalem’s Great Synagogue to hear candidates from nine different Knesset factions speak of their respective parties' platforms. Many of the speakers addressed the need for significant changes in the way the country deals with national and security issues. Ichud Leumi candidate Uri Bank, the only native English-speaker on the panel, was greeted with rounding applause in response to his call to ensure that the Land of Israel remains in Jewish hands.

Bank also called for a "radically new vision" for dealing with western Olim, described in a flyer distributed by party activists at the event.

Western Aliyah has been the focus of recent Knesset caucuses and initiatives and is largely seen as the next source of potential mass Aliyah, especially in light of the current economic climate and a dramatic decrease in immigration from the former Soviet Union. Last year, 2008, saw the numbers of new Olim from all countries drop to the lowest Aliyah figures since1988. Despite the Herculean efforts of organizations like Nefesh B'Nefesh and Ami, the number of Olim from western countries remained the same as the previous year.

Immigrants, Not Immigration
Bank, who made Aliyah with his family from the U.S. at the age of 12, explained to Israel National News the flaw of all the new initiatives that seem to appear around elections time and then fade away as the new Knesset session begins. "A new caucus and lobby for western Aliyah is doomed to fail, like many previous efforts, because it is pushing Aliyah at the expense of Olim," he said.

He explained that until the experience of Aliyah is radically altered to become a comfortable, exciting experience, the numbers of western Olim will not increase: "The system must take into account that making Aliyah can be a difficult choice for many Jews from western countries, involving leaving their homes and comfortable lifestyles, bureacracy, difficulties in having degrees recognized and attaining professional licenses, and more."

When you came, they unrolled a red carpet,” reads the Ichud Leumi flyer distributed at the January 31 political debate, “but then they replaced it with red tape.” Uri Bank says his goal is to be the scissors to cut through that tape and bring a new life to Olim, while strengthening the country in the process.

Uri Bank is no stranger to the issues faced by Jews who make Aliyah from western countries. As a 12-year-old Oleh, Uri had to adjust to an Israeli classroom. When his family returned to the United States five years later, he remained in Israel. Bank studied in a Yeshivat Hesder and served as a tank commander in the IDF. He became involved in political life, always working for Aliyah-related causes along with other nationalist initiatives, and currently heads the Moledet faction, one of four factions making up the Ichud Leumi.

He actively entered the Knesset election campaign only recently, after having served the IDF as a reserve soldier during Operation Cast Lead. Bank completed his term of reserve duty even though he was legally exempt as a Knesset candidate and knew it would diminish his ability to campaign. He is spending the remaining week before the elections promoting the idea that the time for change has come, and that his background as an Oleh from the United States will enable him to effect that change.

"It is not that the government doesn't care," Bank explains, "but they don't know how to appeal to Jews from affluent, western countries. The government treats them based upon a system which wasn't built for Olim who come to Israel by choice, but rather those who come here fleeing persecution or searching for a better life. These Olim come with significant educational experience and save the country a tremendous expense for their higher education. They attract visits from friends, relatives, and business associates who contribute to the wealth of the country with tourist dollars, foreign capital, expertise, innovation, concepts of fair play and representative government, enthusiasm, idealism, and more."

Bank insists that these Olim have to be treated by a system that understands them, or they may never come in the droves that the Zionist endeavor needs. Furthermore, those who leave after having endured frustrations with Israel’s bureaucracy can create repercussions that negatively effect future Aliyah. "That is why the next Aliyah reform must begin with Olim who are already in Israel, and then be directed at future Aliyah," Bank says.

“No one should have to go through the hardships my family went through when they originally made Aliyah," he said, "fighting a system which doesn't understand them, and which ultimately caused them to leave Israel when I was 17 years old.” (His family returned to Israel in later years.) Bank intends to bring to the Knesset his understanding of the issues western Olim face and a desire to represent his constituency in the manner with which they are familiar from western democracies, acting as the model for what he terms a new "culture of accountability".

"A culture of accountability is the next best thing to district electoral reform, but it needs to begin with someone who has experienced a system of checks and balances and knows its merits and how it works." Uri also intends to put together an English-speaking Knesset team with a clear focus on tax reform, licensing, and educational issues that many Olim and their children currently face. He says his office will have an open-door policy for all issues confronting Olim from western countries.

Instead of pursuing membership on what are viewed as the more prestigious committees, Bank says he intends to sit on the Aliyah and Absorption Committee and even assume its chairmanship if offered. "Everyone wants western Aliyah," he notes, "but we are going to show them how to treat western Olim, and the Aliyah will soon come."

The Ichud Leumi's new Aliyah plan targets tax reform, erasing former Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's taxation plan ofWestern Olim which caused great hardships for new immigrants from the West. It also features a call for representational government, ecology-awareness, communal revision, expanding Aliyah Kehilatit (group Aliyah) and improving benefits, creation of an Oleh Forum, and more.

The Oleh Forum, as Bank sees it, will comprise elected representatives of Olim from various countries, with representatives from every country over various periods of Aliyah. The forum will meet to address immigrant needs and be the partners in effecting change in government policy and Israel’s attitude towards Olim.

Polls Show
Recent polls have shown the Ichud Leumi with five Knesset seats, which would guarantee Bank's election. However, he states, "we are aiming for at least ten seats, and the Aliyah vote will help to make it happen. The bigger the party is, the more we can represent our constituents which include western Olim and all those who want to make the State of Israel the dream Jewish state it is supposed to be."

Ichud Leumi-Nation Union with Six Mandates

2009-02-03T12:14:00.001-08:00

(IsraelNN.com) According to a Globes poll published Tuesday the Ichud Leumi-National Union party has strengthened to six mandates. Also according to the poll the Likud has dropped to 25 mandates and Kadima to 21. The poll gave 17 mandates each to Israel is Our Home and the Labor parties.

According to the poll, Shas received 11 mandates and Meretz 8. Yahadut Hatorah received 5 mandates and the Jewish Home party received 2. The Pensioners party received 2 mandates while the Arab parties received 6.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/160252

Chabad Online runs photo feature on Ketzaleh

2009-02-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

The Israeli Chabad website Chabad Online (http://www.col.org.il/show_news.rtx?artID=44696) has run a feature on the Rabbinic support enjoyed by the Ichud Leumi among the Chabad community. Leading national-religious Rabbis such as Rav Mordechai Eliyahu shlit"a as well as chassidic Rabbis have heartily endorsed Ketzaleh and the Ichud Leumi. The Ichud Leumi is the only party to effectively unite and enjoy broad support amongst secular, religious and ultra-Orthodox Israelis.

At JPost Debate, Uri Bank states: "The land of Israel belongs to us and not the Arabs"

2009-02-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

Some 1,700 English speakers crowded into Jerusalem's Great Synagogue Saturday night to hear representatives from nine of the country's leading political parties, in an effort to better grasp their platforms before the upcoming general elections.

Moderating the panel, which was co-organized with the AACI and the American Israeli Action Coalition, Jerusalem Post Editor-in-Chief David Horovitz invited each of the speakers to begin with a five-minute opening statement about themselves and their parties.

Former Israeli ambassador to the US and Israel Beiteinu candidate Danny Ayalon, the first speaker, launched into an explanation of his party's policy, which draws heavily upon national solidarity.

"We must restore national pride and national honor," Ayalon told the crowd.
"There are groups here that are not loyal to the state, to its traditions, to its ethics, or to its core being, and they cannot run for the Knesset and afterwards represent our foes, be they Nasrallah, or Hamas," Ayalon said, alluding to the Arab political parties whose participation in the elections was recently challenged.

"There should be a dividing line between those who are loyal to the state and those who are not," he said.

Dr. Bennie Begin, son of the late prime minister Menachem Begin and fifth on the Likud list, spent most of his five minutes deconstructing what he described as the nine false assumptions that have dominated Israel government policies in recent years.

An example, "Number 5, in January of 2006 the Israeli government permits Hamas to participate in the elections of the Palestinian Authority since it cannot win - an assumption proven wrong," he said.

Begin made his final case for the removal of the current government.
"Such a collapse of all basic tenets of policy indicate that these guys must be removed from their position in the government," he said.

Uri Bank, the only American-born candidate on the panel and representative of the right-wing National Union party, spoke next and immediately came out swinging.

"The land of Israel belongs to us and not the Arabs," he said to roaring applause. "We told the decision-makers [at the time], don't pull out of Gaza, because the rockets will start hitting Beersheba, Ashkelon and Ashdod. The leader of Begin's party, Benjamin Netanyahu, raised his hand in favor of the pull-out from Gaza, he enabled that.

"It's a sure thing that Netanyahu will be the next prime minister of Israel, but the question that remains is, what kind of government will he have?" he continued. "With the National Union in his government, we will keep an eye on what kind of decisions he can or cannot make."

Following Bank, Meretz MK Tzvia Greenfield, an Orthodox woman and member of the B'Tselem human rights group, took the stage.

"The three people who have spoken before me are the example of what I am speaking against," she said. "Pessimism, war, death, and more death. I come from a world in which there are other options. I want to present you with an entirely different discussion."
Amid minor heckling from the audience, Greenfield then continued with Meretz's education platform and policy of dialogue with the Palestinians.

Speaking next, Rabbi Prof. Daniel Hershkovitz of the Jewish Home Party outlined his party's belief that three factors - the Torah, the land, and the people, must all come together to create national unity.

"The values of Eretz Yisrael, of Torat Yisrael and of Am Israel [the people of Israel]. These are not three different factors. All these factors form one unity. One cannot exist without the other two." Following Hershkovitz, Green Movement-Meimad leader Rabbi Michael Melchior began his remarks with a parable from the weekly Torah portion.

"When Moses told Pharaoh that the Israelites were leaving Egypt, Pharaoh only wanted to let the men leave. But Moses said, 'No, we're all going, men and women, the boys with the girls.'
"That's the approach we need in Israeli society. There can be no society, no Jewish society, where we differentiate between people. Let's go back to different values, like the environment, education for our children."

Avraham Michaeli of Shas guaranteed his party's ability to help Israeli citizens from all walks of life. As an immigrant from Georgia, Michaeli maintained that he understood the pressure put on new immigrants.

The penultimate candidate was former UJC-Israel director and former IDF spokesman Nachman Shai of Kadima, who set out his party's continuing support for a two-state solution.
"I still believe that we made the right decision in disengaging from Gaza," Shai said, to minor booing from the audience.

"We did it in order to defend Israel and to preserve the Jewish and democratic character of the country. In order to continue that, it is necessary to return to the '67 borders," he said. "We have to find a way to compromise with the Palestinians and with the Arabs."
Joking about her party's "boring but responsible" character, Dr. Einat Wilf, the Labor Party's representative, spoke last.

"We have to find a way to live together, internally and with our neighbors," Wilf said. "With Labor, you get a balance that focuses on public service, health and wealth, and also protects the rule of law.

"It might be boring, it might not be so sexy, but it is responsible. In my opinion, Labor has led Israel through some of the best periods in her history."

From there, the panelists were given the chance to respond to audience questions, which addressed the topics of peace talks with the Palestinians, their vision for Jerusalem, and election reform.

The final question, focusing on the government's response to a nuclear Iran, generated an unprecedented unity among the panelists, who, each in their own way, described that scenario as "unacceptable."

This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com /servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304645663&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull

A Message from Prof. Paul Eidelberg

2009-01-30T03:48:00.000-08:00

Dear Voters:

You have been urged by Benjamin Netanyahu not to vote for small parties.

How typical of this non-heroic politician, who thinks primarily in quantitative terms.

But know well, it is not the quantity but the quality of MKs a party gets into the Knesset that will be decisive on the all-important issue of a Palestinian state to which Netanyahu is committed, but obscures by saying he is opposed to the division of Jerusalem.

The question facing voters is not simply the size of a party but the quality of its leaders— especially their political courage and fidelity to the Land of Israel. Polder Likud leaders like Netanyahu, who voted for withdrawal from Gaza when he was a minister in the Sharon Government, and General Moshe Ya'alon, who implemented that decision even though he had previously warned the Knesset against it.

Can such men be trusted to stand tall and withstand American and world pressure to withdraw from Judea and Samaria, hence to expel more than 100,000 Jews from their homes—even though this would demoralize and bankrupt the country, encourage many to leave, and of course discourage aliya? Their past deeds, not their present words in an election campaign, should guide you.

Give me a few courageous Jews in the Knesset to oppose another expulsion, which Professor Benzion Netanyahu called a "crime" when the Sharon Government betrayed the Jews of Gush Katif. Give me a few courageous Jews like Yonatan Netanyahu to stand tall and rally the people across the country to rise up against the betrayal of our country, and there will be no expulsion and no Palestinian state, that would herald the extinction of the one and only Jewish homeland.

We have such Jews in the National Union Party, and you can swell their ranks by voting for this party on February 10.

Do not be deceived by Benjamin Netanyahu's propaganda. Back in 1977, a small party called Shinui astounded the county by winning 15 Knesset seats. No one predicted such a thing. Israel's geo-strategic situation at that time was not ominous, far, far removed from the existential threaten now confronting us. Disillusioned with the Labor Party, there were hundreds of thousands of floating votes that went to Shinui.

Today there are hundreds of thousands of floating votes of people who remember how they were betrayed by the Likud Party when its leader, Ariel Sharon, adopted Labor's policy of "unilateral disengagement" from Gaza. That policy was rejected by 75 percent of the Jews who voted in the January 2003 election. These Jews, faithful to the Land of Israel, will be voting in the February 10 election. Very few trust Benjamin Netanyahu, but see his alternatives as worse—Kadima leader Tzipi Livni and Labor leader Ehud Barak a worse.

If hundreds of thousands of voters opposed to a Palestinian state vote for National Union, then quantity will bolster quality. More courageous and more faithful men and women will enter the Knesset, and they will prevent the betrayal of this country.

Yes, give me one good man or woman in the Knesset and he or she will do more than 10 wish-washy politicians. This is the Jewish teaching, the teaching that enabled Jews to withstand the world.

Professor Paul Eidelberg teaches at Bar Illan University in Israel and is the director of the Foundation for Constitutional Democracy.

Shturem: 65% of Chabad Chassidim support the Ichud Leumi

2009-01-29T13:05:00.000-08:00

According to a poll conducted on the Israeli, Chabad Lubavitch website Shturem.net, 65% of Chabad Chassidim in Israel support the Ichud Leumi party. The poll can be seen by clicking here.

Find out where you vote

2009-01-29T09:03:00.000-08:00

The Israel Government Portal (http://www.gov.il/FirstGov) has a handy-dandy voting location widget that allows you to find your voting station for the upcoming elections. You merely fill in your Identity Number (Teudat Zehut) and you are presented with your voting information.

If you need further help from a live human being, you can call for assistance at 1-800-300-059.

Ichud Leumi's comic book asks: will it come to this?

2009-01-29T03:13:00.000-08:00

Ichud Leumi Comic Book

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Academic Work book learning

YNet opinion piece calls for voters to choose Ichud Leumi

2009-01-29T02:40:00.000-08:00

Click here for the article on YNet.

Confusion on the Right

Yoel Meltzer says only one party 100% opposed to creation of Palestinian state

Yoel Meltzer

Published: 

01.28.09, 12:24 / Israel Opinion

Following the disengagement from Gaza in the summer of 2005 and the complete negligence on behalf of the government to properly handle the forced evacuees, the subsequent war in Lebanon one year later, the endless missiles fired upon the south and the recent war in Gaza, many good-minded Israelis are clearly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, in any shape or size, in Judea and Samaria.

The direct threat that such a state would impose against Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as these two large population centers become incredibly vulnerable to missile attacks, is quite obvious. In addition, in light of the disastrous handling of the disengagement refugees, it is inconceivable to think that Israel would succeed with the much larger Jewish population currently residing in Judea and Samaria.

However, despite the opposition of many Israelis to the “two-state solution,” it is quite clear and understandable that the United States has a different agenda. As a result of both an economy in disarray and widespread dissatisfaction with the continued participation of American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, the new president will likely do his utmost to bring the American troops back home and “turn inward” in order to deal with the faltering economy.

It is also just as clear that Israel will likely be required, as usual, to “pay the price” for American appeasement with the various Arab and Muslim countries. Moreover, this is not something that theoretically might happen a few years down the road, but rather, something which will most likely happen within the coming year. Once again, from an American perspective this is quite clear and understandable, since America needs to do what it must do in order to preserve its teetering empire.

Just as clear, however, is the relentless and intense pressure that will be applied to Israel within the coming year in order to agree to the creation of a Palestinian state in either all or part of a Jewish-free (or somewhat Jewish-free) Judea and Samaria.

Don’t be fooled

Having said all this, and in light of the quickly approaching national elections, it is truly amazing to see that the confusion on the Right is once again rearing its all too familiar head. Although there are several political parties that define themselves as “national” or “right-wing” - Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu, The Jewish Home, The National Union – only one of these parties says, in clear and straightforward terms, that it is 100% opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state, in any shape or size, in any part of the Land of Israel.

This party, The National Union, speaks clearly and directly with a real Jewish soul without worrying about political correctness. Moreover, its message, which is correct from a security perspective, is correct from a Jewish perspective as well. On the other hand the Likud, including several of its key members who recently cried “we told you Gaza would turn into Hamastan”(while conveniently forgetting to mention that these same key members voted in favor of the disengagement!), speaks about a demilitarized Palestinian state with Israel controlling the border security.

Yisrael Beiteinu, although different than Likud, also supports a two-state solution and suggests the trading of large population blocs (for example, Umm Al-Fahm and the “triangle” would be transferred to the Palestinian Authority in return for Israel officially annexing some Jewish areas in Judea and Samaria.) Finally, there is The Jewish Home, which is basically a reincarnation of the increasingly parve and boring National Religious Party.

It should be obvious then that anyone who truly cares about the future of this country should be voting for The National Union on Election Day, since it is the only party that is 100% dedicated to trying to stop the madness here. For this reason I am alarmed to hear of many good intentioned right-wing voters who are ready to place their vote with either the Likud or Yisrael Beiteinu, either because they are unaware that both these parties support a two-state solution or because they think that strengthening these parties will somehow “provide the answer.” Please don't be fooled. The future of our country is at stake.

Yoel Meltzer lives in Israel and works in the finance department of a non-profit organization

Pictures of Ketzaleh on air at the Jerusalem conference & Speaking in Efrat

2009-01-29T02:01:00.001-08:00

Hope at the Ballot Box

2009-01-28T23:16:00.000-08:00

by David Shalom

(IsraelNN.com) On February 10 Israel heads to the polls, and the good news for the Zionist public is that this time there is real hope. Indeed, this article is dedicated to those readers who despair of the enemy within. It is a guide for those who wish to stop the continued policy of retreat and surrender, and prevent the progress of the Islamic enemy at our gates. It is for those who shared my thoughts on Winograd, and the disasters that preceded Israel's defeat in Lebanon and continued with its recent failure to destroy Hamas.

Yes, dear reader, there is a party that will stand up for you this time. For those who seek a Zionist path to secure Israel's future, there can be no hesitation to give your vote to the National Union (Ichud Leumi) party.

As we enter election season, we are constantly bombarded with a plethora of platforms and promises from parties who purport to represent the values of the nationalist camp, but it is only the National Union that opposes all territorial surrender to Arab usurpers. It is only the National Union that opposes the continuation of the Oslo process. It is only the National Union that combines the ideology of Eretz Yisrael and Zionism with the personalities capable of translating those policies into real action. A vote for the National Union is the pragmatic way of translating the power of the nationalist camp into an effective political force in government.

The National Union is made up of four true right-wing nationalist parties - Moledet, Hatikva, Tekuma and Eretz Yisrael Shelanu - and is led by Yaakov Katz (the founder of Arutz Sheva and builder of Judea and Samaria) joined by MKs Uri Ariel and Professor Aryeh Eldad. The list follows with yet more men of letters and of action. Personalities like Dr. Michael Ben Ari, a scholar of Judaism and pupil of the late Rabbi Binyamin Kahane (H.y.d., z.ts.l.), as well as Uri Bank, leading Anglo activist from Moledet, television personality Avi Rat and Dr Ron Breiman, former head of Professors for a Strong Israel and long-time leading light amongst the secular nationalist public. Indeed, there are other equally worthy people on the list who hopefully will make it into the Knesset too. Thus, the party gives representation to secular and religious, Sepharadim and Ashkenazim, veteran Israelis and immigrants, to civilian and military backgrounds, to scientists and artists alike - all united in the belief in the unity of the Land of Israel for the People of Israel according to the eternal Torah of Israel.

The party platform states:

"The National Union (Ichud Leumi) is a party that strives for the full implementation of the rights of the Jewish people over its entire homeland that will provide for a public Jewish character to the State of Israel, that will realize the eternal values of the nation in the public life of the state and will work for the widespread immigration (Aliyah) of the Jewish people in exile to Israel."

There are those who would say: Should we not vote for a larger right-wing party, specifically the Likud, lest we waste our vote and thus indirectly help the Left? But this is not the case. All the polls show that the Right will be in a majority (approximately 66 mandates for the Right, compared to the 44 of the Left and 10 of the Arabs) after the elections. It is a near certainty, as much as anything in politics can be, that the Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu will form the next government. The real uncertainty lies in what coalition he will be able to form on February 11.

The National Union will support Netanyahu in his bid for the premiership, but will make the party's entry into any coalition dependent upon the end of all territorial surrender. The National Union will be faithful to core values that include the restoration of Jewish Zionist values and education, low taxation and free market economics, combined with a social conscience. A strong National Union representation will prevent any coalition with Kadima and other leftist parties. A strong National Union will serve to balance out voices of the Left within the coalition. It will send a message to the Likud that the public doesn't want Kadima or Labour in the government. It will guarantee the end of the same old failed territory-for-terror policies.

There are those who worry that a vote for the National Union may be lost if the party does not meet the high electoral threshold for entering the Knesset. But this worry is unjustified; the National Union currently has two sitting MKs and the support of a third retiring MK (Rabbi Benny Elon), and has constantly polled significantly above the threshold by up to two seats in all surveys taken. In fact, there is no reason for this trend to stop now. Indeed, with the electoral collapse of the Bayit HaYehudi-National Religious Party, the National Union could even win an extra two or three seats. The National Union appeals to religious Zionists from Tekuma and Moledet. It also appeals to the wider secular public through its Hatikva constituent led by Professor Eldad, and it appeals to the Hareidi sector through Rabbi Dov Wolpe and Baruch Marzel's Eretz Yisrael Shelanu party, which is likely to be endorsed by Chabad.

There are then those who believe that Avigdor Lieberman will represent them better. While it is true that Mr. Lieberman is indeed a Zionist, he has not committed to vote against any and all withdrawals, and his party platform even suggests that he supports some sort of Palestinian Arab state in Western Eretz Yisrael.

The Yisrael Beiteinu party platform specifically states: "The responsibility for primarily Arab areas such as Umm Al-Fahm and the 'triangle' will be transferred to the Palestinian Authority."

In contrast, the National Union makes it clear that it believes that the entire Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people and it will not surrender one inch of it. The National Union will actively seek to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, rather than give it more of the Land of Israel. The National Union is the only party that believes in the justice of the cause of the Jewish people in their homeland without apology. It is the only party that remains true to the ideals of Zeev Jabotinsky and Betar.

By ensuring a strong National Union presence in the Knesset, we will strengthen the hand of the next government in the face of internal and external pressures to surrender the homeland. On February 10, the Zionist reader should put the symbol tet - ט - in his envelope at the polling station.

10 reasons why I am voting for the Ichud Leumi

2009-01-28T12:41:00.000-08:00

1. Because these people have kept their hands clean - and that's why you barely hear any of them even mentioned in the mainstream media, which is only interested in "dirty Rightwing" politicians.

2. Because from day one since their formation 10 years ago, Ichud Leumi has stood by the principle of the Land of Israel being ours by right, without apologies - another reason why the Left-controlled media refuses to give them any real publicity.

3. Because they are not a one-issue party -- they present well thought-out ideas for improving education, environment, industry, and a host of other critical issues that will appeal to a wide range of voters... one more reason why the government-funded media ignores them.

4. Because they have Aryeh Eldad on their team: an eloquent, experienced and visionary MK who has earned the respect of his colleagues across the spectrum, and who has strategic contacts abroad for the same reason.

5. Because they are headed Yaakov "Katzeleh" Katz, who doesn't just 'talk the talk' of Eretz Yisrael Shelanu but is actually living in Beit El.

6. Because they have Uri Bank on their team, who is not only capable and articulate, but is the only Anglo oleh given a realistic place on any party list from Right to Left.

7. Because Katzeleh is not afraid to say it out loud: "We are not a U.S. colony or the 51st state." (A7-News, 25/jan) It's about time we took back our national sovereignty.

8. Because they are realistic about the likelihood of Likud (again!) caving in to U.S. colonial pressure, no matter what Bibi promises during the election... and rather than moaning about it, they are prepared to be a counterweight to it.

9. Because I'm tired of people telling me not to "waste" my vote on a small party -- and then telling me this party block has great principles but no chance because "they're too small and no one will vote for them".

10. Because if enough of us get tired of that contradiction and vote "davka" for Ichud Leumi, they will receive enough clout to put those great principles on the national agenda.

See you at the polls.

Hannah Weiss

"Ariel newbie class" of 1988

Ketzaleh and Netanyahu discuss Israel's future

2009-01-28T11:24:00.000-08:00

L-R: National Union party Chairman Yaakov Katz, Likud MK Dr. Yuval Steinitz, Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu at the 2009 Jerusalem Conference

According to Israel National News: After Netanyahu's Jerusalem Conference speech, he convened with his fellow party member Dr. Yuval Steinitz and Ichud Leumi (National Union) party Chairman Yaakov Katz. Katz asked the Likud chairman what his plans are for a coalition after the Israel elections. Netanyahu responded, "We will establish a broad coalition based on all the Zionist parties - blue and orange." [Orange is the color associated with the Ichud Leumi (National Union) party and its supporters].
The meeting between Netanyahu and Katz was held in a positive atmosphere with reciprocal intentions for developing a close working relationship. Katz later told reporters, "Only a strong Ichud Leumi (National Union) in the Knesset will insure that all the good intentions of the government will be implemented."
National Union party leader Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz said that the way to ensure that the Likud remains nationalistically-oriented is by voting for a party to the right of it:
"In addition," Katz said, "all our strength comes from the Torah, from rabbis who are totally involved in the challenges facing our nation today. There are rabbis who say to vote for the Jewish Home, and many who endorse the National Union - but none endorse the Likud!

Eldad, Tibi Face off at Bar Ilan

2009-01-26T10:24:00.000-08:00

by Maayana Miskin

(IsraelNN.com) MK Aryeh Eldad of the National Union and MK Ahmed Tibi, Chairman of the Ra'am Ta'al Knesset faction (pictured below with Sheik Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic Movement and a PLO/PA flag), debated at Bar Ilan University on Monday. The debate was originally scheduled to be held last week, but was postponed because Ra'am Ta'al was involved in an appeal to the High Court of an elections committee decision to ban it from running in the upcoming Knesset election.

Eldad said the conflict between Israel, the Palestinian Authority and other Arab groups is not over territory. “Our mistake is in thinking that the Israel-Palestinian conflict is territorial and that if we draw a line between Jews and Arabs everything will be solved. This is a mistake! The conflict is a religious war and it's about opposing the people of Israel's right to have a state at all,” he told the crowd.

"Arabs are not traitors in the state of Israel,” Eldad continued. “They are the enemy in the state of Israel.” Arabs in Israel who seek to undermine the nature of the state should be transferred to Jordan, “where most Palestinians are located,” he determined.

The solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict is “ending the occupation,” Eldad said. “I mean the Arab occupation of the land of Israel 1,300 years ago,” he clarified. “Large parts of the land of Israel are still under occupation: Gaza, Hevron, the Temple Mount and the like.”

Tibi attacked Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria. “They are the true poison, that tries to cement the occupation,” he accused.

"The settlers — not a single one of them will remain,” in Judea and Samaria, Tibi predicted. “They will all be expelled or make a diplomatic deal with the state of Israel.”

Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria who wish to remain in their homes may seek citizenship in “Palestine” after such a state is created, Tibi said. Eldad ridiculed the suggestion, saying, “A Jew wouldn't live more than a few minutes before being killed under a Palestinian regime, as Fatah supporters did not survive under Hamas.”

Word is getting out

2009-01-26T06:52:00.000-08:00

People have noticed the Ichud Leumi English campaign and are supporting it. Here you can see some of what is being written in the Jblogosphere.

My Glorious Brothers

2009-01-26T06:16:00.000-08:00

(This article was written by Dr. Ron Breiman and originally published on the Arutz Sheva/Israel National News website. Dr. Breiman is a former chairman of Professors for a Strong Israel and stands for election in the #8 spot on the Ichud Leumi list.)

By Dr. Ron Breiman

Israel is again at war. Also, again, we see national agreement about the necessity of this war. We see the disgusting phenomenon of Israelis identifying with their enemies, and even raising their flags, with the consent of the Supreme Court and the police.

We also see patriotic Israelis who, with pride, carry the burden and pay the price of a war imposed on us by the enemy. We clearly see the heavy price paid by those living in Judea, Samaria and Gaza among the fallen. One has to be impressed, and humbled at the same time, by the manner in which the families of those killed in action accept their heavy loss as the price of the honor of protecting and maintaining the security of Israel.

As a settler in Ramat Aviv, in north Tel Aviv, I take off the hat that I do not wear in honor and respect for my glorious brothers; those who carry the vision of settling the Land of Israel and risk their lives in the battles of Israel. It is totally clear that a Zionist and nationalist education, combined with pride in our heritage, provides values and dedication to the entire community, far more than an education that is merely an individual necessity.

All those who saw the TV program Politika on January 6, 2009, could not help but be astonished by the pathetic questions posed by the interviewer, Oded Shachar, implying the so-called "death" of Zionism. On the other hand, one had to be impressed by the vigorous response by Professor Ruth Gabizon, whose personal opinions are not "right-wing", but strongly in favor of Zionism.

In the Israeli reality, it is correct to classify the public into Zionists and those who disregard Zionism (now called "post-Zionists"). Therefore, the vision of Zionism is the real answer to the fantasy illusions of Peace Now.

Many people are confused about the division between nationalist Zionism and religious Zionism. One who identifies his- or herself as "national-religious" will most likely be identified also with the nationalist Zionist camp. But not all who are nationalist Zionists are religious Zionists. The nationalist Zionist camp is much broader and not limited only to the national-religious. One of the most common distortions in the Hebrew-language media is the identification that it creates between right-wing and religious, and between "settlers" and religious, as if there are no right-wingers or "settlers" who are non-religious.

On the other hand, there is yet another mistaken concept among many good people in the national-religious community regarding the non-religious members of what is known as the "Orange Camp" - the belief that there are none. Contributing to this is the claim, which is true, that the number of non-religious people who participate in demonstrations of the nationalist Zionist camp is small. But when those demonstrations have a religious theme, and the language of those demonstrations is religious - at times, even including a demand of separation between men and women - it becomes difficult for a secular "Orange" Zionist to take part.

It is on this background that the Hatikva Party was founded, to provide an address for secular "Orange" voters; but not only for them. This party has a responsibility and an obligation to make sure that no nationalist Zionist voter will be lost. We called upon other people to join and together form a Jewish nationalist list, but we stood very firmly on the principle that the list would not be identified as a religious list, but as a general one. Therefore, in the 2009 elections, the Ichud Leumi (National Union) Party will stand together as a single unit - religious and secular - without any fear at all.

In the war now taking place (despite a so-called ceasefire on January 18) it is obvious that many of the errors of the Lebanon War of 2006 have been taken into consideration. This is accurate only from the military point of view, but on the political and propaganda side of things, it seems to be a repetition of the 2006 war. The same Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni - a full partner in the failed leadership of that war, as she was the architect of the miserable UN Resolution 1701 - still does not understand her past errors and learn from them. She is on the same path to a similar political end; namely, yet another victory handed to the enemy. In the midst of this war, she repeats her stupidity about the vision she has of two states carved out of our tiny State of Israel.

It is immoral to run a war this way, for IDF soldiers to risk their lives in order for the Gaza Strip to be handed over to the Palestinian Terror Authority. A weaker Hamas is to be preferred to a stronger terrorist group under Mahmoud Abbas ("Abu Mazen").

He who endangers his life in order to defend the people of southern Israel, in a war caused by the expulsion of the Jews of Gush Katif, is doing so out of a feeling of Zionist national responsibility. He is definitely not doing so in order that, at some later date, the left-wing with Livni in charge can lead Israel to yet another expulsion of the Jews from Judea and Samaria. This view is common to all nationalist Zionists, be they religious or secular. The nationalist Zionist camp has to return Israel to Zionism - without any fear at all.

http://tinyurl.com/mygloriousbrothers

Ketzaleh gives a message of hope in Efrat

2009-01-26T05:38:00.000-08:00

by Staff

On Thursday, January 22nd, party leader Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz kicked off the Ichud Leumi English language campaign wih a talk in the Mishkan Tzipora Synagogue in the Gush Etzion town of Efrat.

Ketzaleh spoke about the need to continue the work that he started in building up the country since the 1967 Six-Day War. He reminded his audience that even though things may seem dark now, it is important to remember how far we have come in so short a time. In a period when our political leaders can make such statements as "We are tired of fighting; we are tired of being courageous; we are tired of winning; we are tired of defeating our enemies." (Ehud Olmert at the Israel Policy Forum in June 2005), it is refreshing to hear a message of hope and accomplishment once again. The Ichud Leumi is truly standing strong for a return to Zionism.

English language campaign manger Yehuda Hakohen introducing Ketzaleh to the crowd.

Ketzaleh speaking words of encouragement and Zionism to the residents of Efrat.

Bibi Netanyahu voting in favor of disengagemnt

2009-01-25T10:31:00.000-08:00

While the Ichud Leumi tried to prevent the disengagement, stating that it would result in large scale attacks and war, Bibi Netanyahu voted for expelling thousands of Jews from their homes in favor of Arab terrorist organizations.

In the news

2009-01-25T07:26:00.000-08:00

Eldad Campaigns in Jerusalem with Snakes

Reported: 16:28 PM - Jan/25/09

(IsraelNN.com) MK Aryeh Eldad campaigned for the National Union party Sunday in Jerusalem with snakes. Eldad wanted to emphasize the National Union motto of "With No Fear" by showing that it is possible to overcome our fear of snakes.

Eldad added: "We cannot fear our enemies within and without, we cannot fear the Supreme Court. We shouldn't fear to settle Israel, nor fear the UN or the US."

See MK Dr. Aryeh Eldad at the JPost debate on Sunday

2009-01-22T15:46:00.000-08:00

Aryeh Eldad will be speaking at the JPost debate in Ra'anana January 25th

- Achuzat Bayit 269 Ahuza. 8:00 PM. Contact Dov Kass for details 050-871-1334

The National Union reborn

2009-01-22T15:17:00.001-08:00

Organizing our campaign

2009-01-22T15:15:00.001-08:00

Ask your computer how you should vote

2009-01-22T15:00:00.000-08:00

Ynet is sponsoring a very interesting experimental web-application

that determines the best party affiliation for you based on your

answers to a number of questions regarding political figures,

government policy and political/social policy. You can find it

online here.

Meet the candidates

2009-01-22T07:02:00.000-08:00

Yaakov “Ketzaleh” Katz is a pioneer, war hero and builder of Israel. During the Yom Kippur War, while serving in the elite Shaked commando unit, Ketzaleh lost his left leg after taking a direct hit from an Egyptian RPG. As a founder and leader of Gush Emunim, he was the driving force behind the building of many Jewish communities throughout Judea, Samaria, the Gaza region and greater Jerusalem, serving as a senior advisor to then Housing & Construction Minister Ariel Sharon. Ketzaleh has also played a crucial role in affording the national camp a voice in the Israeli media by founding Arutz 7 and continuously working to keep it independent. As a frequent guest to Diaspora communities, Ketzaleh serves as a representative of the Jewish state and works to strengthen the bond between Jews in Israel and abroad.

Uri Ariel has waged the struggle for Greater Israel for several decades, both as a leader of the YESHA council and as Secretary General for the building division of Batei Amana. A member of Knesset since 2001, Ariel has worked tirelessly within the political system for Jewish rights to the Land of Israel, freedom for Jonathan Pollard and relief for Jews expelled from the Gaza region and northern Samaria.

Professor Arieh Eldad has served as the Chief Medical Officer of the IDF (with the rank of Brigadier General) and Director of the Plastic Surgery and Burns Department at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. Since entering the Knesset in 2003, he has not only fought valiantly against attempts to shrink Israel’s borders but has also been recognized as Israel’s most tenacious opponent of government corruption, a role for which he has won acclaim and admiration from all sides of Israel’s political spectrum. E

ldad chaired the Knesset’s Ethics Committee and lobbies for public personas as role models, the struggle against corruption in the public sector and for public health. During the months leading up to the expu

lsion of Jews from the Gaza region and northern Samaria, he was the only member of Knesset to call upon the public to engage in acts of civil disobedience.

Dr. Michael Ben-Ari is a highly respected

scholar of classical Jewish history. Having spent several years working in the fields of education and academic research, Ben-Ari has established a number of educational institutions and is a freque

nt lecturer at Bar-Ilan University on subjects of archaeology and Land of Israel studies.

Uri Bank is a veteran activist who has been involved in parliamentary issues for several years, working extensively on legislation, serving as director of the Ichud Leumi-Yisrael Beiteinu Knesset faction and as a senior advisor to Tourism Minister Benny Elon. Bank immigrated to Israel from the United States at the age of twelve and decided in stay on at

seventeen after his family returned to the United States. He served in the IDF and continues to serve as a volunteer tank commander in miluim, including a current stint during Operation Cast Lead (despite his age and candidacy for Knesset exempting him from reserve duty). Bank has fought for immigrant rights and tax exemptions through legislation within the political system. On the diplomatic front, Bank is one of the prime movers behind the Israeli Initiative – the only comprehensive peace plan brought forth as an alternative to the failed Oslo Accords paradigm.

Alon Davidi is a Sderot resident and city councilman who has been a leading activist in educating the Israeli public to the current plight of Israel’s south. He dedicates most of his time to his beleaguered city, teaching in the Sderot Hesder Yeshiva and organizing community events. Davidi is also a founder and leader of the committee for Sderot security.

Ketzaleh get blessings from leading Rabbis

2009-01-22T05:53:00.000-08:00

Party leader Ketzaleh recently made a trip up north to receive endorsements from leading Rabbis including the Vihznitzer Rebbe and Rav Abuchatzeira Shlit"a.

Pictured: Rabbi David Druckman Shlit"a kissing Ketzaleh and giving him a personal blessing.

You can see the full article online at Chabad's Israeli website by clicking here.

In the Jblogosphere

2009-01-22T01:10:00.000-08:00

Almost Eden has written a guide to be an informed voter on his blog. In this post he discusses the איחוד לאומי and provides links to some very interesting material about us. It is worth reading.

Click here for the link.

Twittering our way to the Knesset

2009-01-21T16:45:00.000-08:00

You can now follow the Ichud Leumi (N.U.) on Twitter.

The Ichud Leumi: Now on Facebook

2009-01-21T05:59:00.000-08:00

The Ichud Leumi is now on Facebook. You can join our group to take part in discussion, receive updates and connect with other supporters of the Ichud Leumi revival of Zionist values.

Uri Bank- citizen soldier

2009-01-21T05:33:00.000-08:00

When Knesset candidate Uri Bank (#5 Ichud Leumi list) was twelve years old, his family made aliyah. When he was eighteen, his family no longer lived in Israel, yet he stayed and volunteered for the tank corp. Now, at age forty, he serves as a reservist. What is the big deal, you may ask? Uri has passed the age of mandatory "miluim" and serves as a combat soldier one month out of every year voluntarily.

During the recent Gaza War, Uri was called up to serve his country, and during election season he went, even though he could avoid the call with honor and respect. He went because he believes in this country. Uri was willing to put his campaign on hold and leave his family to serve his nation because he believes that serving in the army to protect Am Yisrael comes before politics as usual. This is a stance that we can all learn from. Uri Bank is truly a citizen soldier and whether in the field or in the Knesset, he will do his best to serve his people with honesty, integrity and self-sacrifice.

The blog esser agaroth ran a piece on Uri that I will quote here.

When Uri Bank was called up formillu'im (IDF reserve duty) on Sunday, he went.

So did hundreds of others. So what, you may ask, is the big deal?

You see, Uri Bank is also a candidate running for K'nesseth (Israeli Parliament), holding the #5 spot on the National Union/HaTikvah Party list.

He could be out there campaigning. Time is of the essence. Elections are only a month away. But rather than try to finagle his way out of it, he met his obligation, and went to serve along side the thousands of other reservists who have recently been called up.

A source within the National Union campaign revealed that in a personal conversation, Uri said, "It's my duty."

Born in Detroit, and raised in Chicago, Uri made aliyah with his family at the age of 12. Years later, when his parents needed to return to the U. S., Uri opted to stay, and to serve in the IDF as ahayal boded (soldier alone in Israel).

Now, in millu'im, while the IDF attempts to stop the rocket fire and all other Hamas terrorist action hailing from Azza, Uri Bankonce again demonstrates that he stands by his principles.

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu endorses Ketzaleh

2009-01-21T05:25:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, the Rishon L'Tzion and a respected leader of the national camp has endorsed Ketzaleh. The following is a copy of the Rabbi's endorsement.

Rav Eliyahu endorsement

Publish at Scribd or explore others:

JPost "The only candidate Anglos can 'Bank' on?"

2009-01-21T05:22:00.000-08:00

The JPost discusses Uri Bank

Publish at Scribd or explore others:

Ketzaleh speaking in Efrat on Thursday

2009-01-21T05:15:00.000-08:00

Come and hear “Ketzaleh”, the head of the Ichud Leumi Knesset list, the Executive Director of Beit El Yeshiva Center Institutions and Arutz-Sheva/Israel National News, who will be coming to Efrat and will speak in ENGLISH in order to explain why it is critical to vote for the Ichud Leumi in the upcoming elections

The meeting will take place on Thursday, January 22^nd at 8:00 PM in the Mishkan Tzipora Shul in the Zayit

(next to the Orot Etzion Girls school)

For more information, please call:

Alan Simanowitz 054-6769802 or Dov Kass 050-8711334

The Ichud Leumi: A RETURN TO ZIONISM

2009-01-21T04:57:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the English language website of the Ichud Leumi (National Union) party. The Ichud Leumi – the National Union, as its name implies, represents a broad consensus of the Israeli public that believes in the vital importance of safeguarding the security and national heritage of the Jewish People in the State of Israel. Unlike other parties that have fractured into splinter groups based on the personal interests of individual figures, Ichud Leumi has demonstrated that our leaders' priority is a united, strong and effective Right under the traditional banners of Zionist and Jewish values. We include religious and secular candidates, immigrants and native Israelis, men and women, those who emphasize the right of the Jewish People to live safely and proudly in all of the Land of Israel, and those whose priority is to strengthen the educational and social framework of the Jewish State. Together our candidates offer a practical platform of security, social and economic goals and accomplishments, representing the only major party that has stayed true to the ideals that have always defined the National Camp.

OUR PLATFORM

1. Jewish Identity

The Jewish identity of the nation must be expressed in all facets of social life, education, culture, personal status and legislation.
The party will promote the deepening of the eternal values of the Bible in the life of the nation.
Israel is a Jewish AND democratic state - and as such will safeguard equal rights for all its citizens.
The image of Shabbat will be safeguarded in the State of Israel.
Religious services will be returned to proper levels in Israel: rabbis, mikveh facilities, kashrut and municipal authorities that oversee religious matters.
Opposition to civil marriages and to conversions that do not conform to Jewish law are conditions for unity of the Jewish people.
The status quo in religious and national affairs will be maintained, which will guarantee the Jewish character of the State of Israel. Added legislation in these areas will be proposed with wide national agreement.

2. The Land of Zion and Jerusalem

The Land of Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people, founded on the basis of the Bible and our historical heritage.
The party will act to encourage Jewish immigration to Israel and absorption, and to strengthen Jewish settlement in all territories of the Land of Israel.
Israeli sovereignty will gradually be extended over all sections of the Land of Israel that are under Israeli control.
Israeli law and jurisdiction will be immediately extended over the local and regional municipalities in Judea and Samaria.
Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people, will be preserved in its entirety under Israeli sovereignty. The party will expedite the strengthening and development of Jewish settlement in all parts of the city.
The party will work to prevent the erosion of Israeli sovereignty and to enforce the nation's laws, in Jerusalem in general, and on the Temple Mount in particular.

3. Foreign Policy and Security

The right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel is inseparably intertwined with their right to peace and security.
After the constant and consistent Arab violations of the Oslo, Wye and Hevron agreements, after the failure of the Camp David Accord, after the Oslo and Second Lebanon wars that claimed so many victims, and after the rise of Hamas to power in the Palestinian Authority - it is necessary to view all the agreements and commitments to the PA signed by the State of Israel as null and void.
There will be no establishment of a foreign state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
The State of Israel must strive to achieve peace agreements with all of its neighbors, but not at the price of security for its citizens.
The party will act to solidify the national camp around a realistic regional peace plan.
The party deplores and condemns the uprooting and forced transfer of thousands of Jews from their homes in Gush Katif and northern Samaria, the destruction of their vibrant communities and the burning of their synagogues.
There will be no uprooting of Jewish communities and no surrender of parts of the Land of Israel in any subsequent Israeli government led by the party.

4. Education

The party will raise education to its proper place - as a top national priority. Resources will be invested in closing educational gaps and improving the achievement levels of Israeli pupils, by placing an emphasis on nurturing character and personality in the pupils and developing their creativity.
Education in Jewish heritage and Zionist values will be deepened in every school in Israel, religious and non-religious alike.
The meal-production program will be reinstated, and a long school day will be instituted in appropriate locations.
The standing of Israeli teachers will be improved, reserving the most qualitative individual for education and giving them incentives to join this field.
Parents' payments will be cancelled, and the Free Education Law will be enforced in both general and religious educational systems.
The party will prevent detriment to the ideological and structural independence of state-religious education.
The party will block any plan to close any programs that combine torah study with army duty, and will continue their development.
The party will continue the development of youth movements that educate towards and embody Jewish and Zionistic values.

5. The Supreme Court

The status of the legislative branch of government will be enhanced, and the erosion of the Knesset by the Courts' incursion into its domain will be stopped.
As long as the existing violations of the balance between the judicial, the executive and the legislative branches are not corrected by legislation, the party will object to a constitution that gives the Supreme Court the authority to nullify laws.
The party will support changes in the method of choosing Supreme Court judges.

6. Economics and Society

A healthy economy is a means to maintaining a civilized society founded on principles of morality, social justice and the avoidance of exploitation of the individual.
The party will act to safeguard the stability of the economy while striving to reduce Israel's economic dependence on the United States.
The party will implement an economic policy that will ensure the continued growth of the economy and increase productivity and output.
Assistance will be extended to manufacturers, particularly those involved in industrial exports and the high tech industry.
Improvements will be made in the handling of factories that are struggling financially.
Resources will be invested in the development of tourism centers, in promoting incoming tourism and internal tourism, and in supporting tourism in rural areas and at archaeological sites.

7. The Struggle against Poverty

The party will act to reduce unemployment.
The party will lead the way in concern for the elderly, the handicapped, and the underprivileged and alienated youth.
The party will act to institute negative income tax, to increase minimum wage and to return old age pensions to their former level.
The Women's organization Emunah will be expanded and developed, more day care centers will be opened and the cost to parents will be lessened.

8. Housing Assistance

The supply of reasonably priced housing possibilities will be expanded for large families, young couples, released soldiers, new immigrants and yeshiva students.
Mortgages will be offered at preferred rates to young couples who have served in the army or have done National Service.
The party will make every effort to solve the housing problem of the younger generation in Israel by way of: land rezoning, building associations and government actions that will provide more affordable housing.

9. Fighting Corruption

The party sees fairness and credibility as essential elements of a clean administration and will aspire to be an example of truth, humility and personal and public integrity.
In order to prevent moral corruption in Public life in Israel, the party will ensure that transparency is improved and will work to prevent conflicts of interest.

10. Justice

The party will act to erase the disgraceful abandonment of the Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard, who has been languishing in an American jail for over two decades.
The evacuation-compensation law will be changed and the injustice done to the Jewish refugees from Gush Katif will be corrected.
A concentrated effort will be made immediately to rehabilitate those who have been uprooted: in employment, housing, education and in whatever else is necessary.
The party will act to reinstate Child Allowance, under the framework of the National Insurance Institute, for parents who have served in the army or have done National Service.