Posted on 10/14/22
| News Source: Arutz-7
In 2019, when then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in talks with the right-wing Otzma Yehudit party to coordinate election tactics, the message from the U.S. Jewish community was clear: Don’t.
That’s no longer the case now that the former prime minister is once again working with Otzma Yehudit and its leader, MK Itamar Ben-Gvir, to work out an agreement that would get him back into the prime minister’s seat.
At least four of the major Jewish groups that spoke out in 2019 say they will not get involved this time around: the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the American Jewish Committee, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. The latter two represent a broad array of national and Jewish groups.
Ahead of the Nov. 1 election, Netanyahu is coordinating campaign tactics with Otzma Yehudit, Israel’s Channel 12 news reported on Wednesday; Ben-Gvir and Netanyahu met and agreed not to campaign among what each sees as his party’s natural constituents. Earlier, Netanyahu brokered an agreement between Otzma Yehudit and other rightist parties to ensure that they run on a joint list.
At least two prominent pro-Israel Democrats, Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Rep. Brad Sherman of California, have warned Netanyahu how damaging it would be to relations with the party if Netanyahu brings Ben-Gvir into the government.