Netanyahu and Smotrich to hold election preparation conference with Religious Zionist rabbis — without Ben Gvir

Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Smotrich will hold an election preparation conference this Thursday for rabbis and directors of religious institutions, under the title 'Saving the Right'. Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir was not invited and did not know about the conference, against the backdrop of tensions between him and Netanyahu. Likud signed an excess vote agreement with Religious Zionism-Zehut, while Otzma Yehudit has no agreement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich will hold an election preparation conference this Thursday aimed at rabbis and directors of religious institutions from Religious Zionism. The conference, to be held at the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem under the title 'Saving the Right', is intended to prepare for election day with an emphasis on maximizing voter turnout and dividing work between the two parties. Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir was not invited to the conference and in fact did not know about it, against the backdrop of tensions between him and the Prime Minister and the almost complete disconnect between them in recent weeks. The invitation stated: 'The rabbi's participation is important for the success of the entire camp'. In Otzma Yehudit they said this is further evidence of an attempt to push the party out of the next government. Last night Likud signed an excess vote agreement with Religious Zionism-Zehut, while Otzma Yehudit still has no agreement. Otzma Yehudit criticized the move and claimed that Likud refuses to sign an agreement with them as part of an attempt to diminish the party and keep Ben Gvir out of the unity government that Likud is planning with Eisenkot.