Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked announced on Dec. 29 that they are leaving the Bayit Yehudi party to form a new party called Hayemin Hehadash, which translates to “The New Right.”
Bennett and Shaked said in a press conference that their new party aims to unite secular and Orthodox Jews and takes a hardline stance on the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
“The New Right party is right-wing, no buts and no sort-ofs,” Bennett said. “In favor of the Land of Israel without compromise, against a Palestinian state, period.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Bennett and Shaked’s move as potentially putting the right-wing government coalition at risk.
“This is a fatal wound to the nationalist camp that can lead to the rise of a left-wing government,” Netanyahu said.
Polls from various Israeli media outlets have estimated that Hayemin Hehadash could win anywhere from six seats to 14 seats in the upcoming elections.
Coalition leaders announced on Dec. 24 that early elections will be held in April instead of November 2019.
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