National Union leader Bezalel Smotrich has declared he is willing to yield his number one slot on the right-wing party's list if doing so would unify the religious Zionist camp.
In a speech at the Youth Sovereignty Movement conference at Bar-Ilan University, Thursday, Smotrich said, "Unity of values and in practical terms is power. We have an incredible common goal: preserving the right-wing government, preserving the Land of Israel, preserving the Jewish identity of the State of Israel."
According to Smotrich, disputes between the various streams of the religious Zionist sector, though important, were marginal when compared to these loftier objectives.
"We must focus on what we have in common and unite, leave behind past differences and disputes, overcome our egos … and come together," he said.
Smotrich said he would be the first to give up a role in the government in order for this effort to succeed. He noted, "I did this when I yielded the first slot in the last elections to my friend and partner Rabbi Rafi Peretz, in our first meeting after he was chosen" to lead Habayit Hayehudi.
"And I would gladly do it again and again," he said, "in order for the religious Zionists and everyone to the Right of the Likud to come together, on one ballot … And together we can promote everything that is important to us, including [the issue of] sovereignty."
Concluding his remarks, Smotrich said, "The establishment of a right-wing government after the election is certainly not a given. We will need to work very hard in the coming months for that to happen, and first and foremost, unite. I am dropping almost everything and going to invest all of my time and energy in order to bring about this unity – with absolutely everyone."
