Free Republic

The national headquarters of the Likud party sent a letter to party members, Thursday evening, proposing that they demand the end of what the headquarters called the aggressive campaign "which is harming great rabbis of Israel and many members of the [religious Zionist] movement." Responding to language that has been used against Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home-New National Religious Party) and declining poll results, the letter says, " Many members of the movement, the ones it has elected, and its potential voters observe religion and tradition. The attempt to outline the religious-nationalist public as excluding women and dark hurts the Likud...

The latest polls showed that last weekend's dust-up over Naftali Bennett's stance on how IDF soldiers who are uncomfortable with immoral orders are supposed to react has not had a negative impact on the Bayit Yehudi party's standing with the public. If anything, the controversy seems to have helped the party's prospects. Bayit Yehudi is now polling to come in as the third largest party in the Knesset, and is closing in to become the second largest. The party, headed by Bennett, continues to nip at the heels of the joint Likud-Yisrael Beytenu list, and the latest weekly poll by...

The weekend media storm over Naftali Bennett's position on how IDF soldiers should deal with orders to throw Jews out of their homes does not seem to have hurt the Bayit Yehudi chairman – and in fact, the party is doing better than ever. Several polls showed that Bayit Yehudi has pulled ahead of Shas, and with its 12-13 seats (depending on the poll), the party will be the third largest, after Labor and Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu. Auguring the party's popularity is the fact that Naftali Bennett's Facebook page has now achieved 100,00 “likes,” the seal of approval Facebook users grant...

Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett responded Monday night to the uproar created by comments he made last week regarding the expulsion of Jews from their homes. Referring to Netanyahu's campaign, Bennett told Channel 2 that "a national camp does not attack a national camp. It is completely unnecessary to play in the internal field. We have to take votes away from Livni." "This policy debate is fine," said Bennett, "but to get up in the morning and see a flood of anonymous personal negative ads is not right." "Netanyahu prefers to surround himself with weak parties who have no influence...

62 soldiers, fighters and officers stood up on Sunday for the chairman of the Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home), Naftali Bennett, who has been under attack by members of the Likud. Bennett, who served in the elite IDF unit Sayeret Matkal, said during a television interview last Thursday that if he ever receives an order to evict Jews, he would ask his commander to release him from his position and added he would be willing to serve time in prison over this issue. While he did not advocate refusing to obey orders, candidates from other parties and particularly from the Likud...

..... "First, the facts: I never called for refusal of orders. Not in the interview with Nissim Mishal and not anywhere else, ever. "I have served in the IDF for 22 years, as a combat soldier and commander. I fought in all of Israel's campaigns during this time, including unknown ones. I repeat: I never called for refusal of orders.... "On Thursday I spoke from the depth of my heart and I do not apologize for what I said. However, I am now not a private individual but a public figure, and I will say things in the clearest possible...

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu implied Saturday night that he would not include the Jewish Home party in any potential coalition in the next Knesset. In an interview with Channel 2, Netanyahu addressed Bennett's recent claim that if he were in the IDF and ordered to expel Jews from their homes, he would ask to be relieved from duty, saying, "This is very serious. The future of the country rests on the army and executing orders. I'm saying a simple thing: Whoever is adamant about refusing orders - will not sit in my cabinet." .....