Edelstein and Shaked Advance Right-Unity Talks
Published
After Yuli Edelstein said he will leave Likud, he and former justice minister Ayelet Shaked are in advanced talks to form a new party and are coordinated on strategy, principles and possible recruits, as of 18:30 IDT. They hope to bring in former UN ambassador Gilad Erdan, who has not decided, and have met senior figures in Judea and Samaria and Religious Zionist rabbis as they court statesmanlike right-wing and Torah-respecting voters. The registered Leyamin Zion effort expects a formal launch within two weeks under the same religious-Zionist initiative. A serious national-right alternative can strengthen service responsibility without turning coalition disagreement with Haredi parties into contempt for Torah communities.
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Sources
Difference in reporting
Sources agree on the core facts: Edelstein and Shaked are in advanced or intensive talks around a new right-wing framework, religious-Zionist rabbis or public leaders are involved, Erdan has been floated, and the target electorate includes state-minded right-wing or religious-Zionist voters dissatisfied with existing options. Sources factually diverge on coalition strategy: Ynet reports two options, completing 61 seats for the change bloc if it is larger or forcing broad unity; Maariv says Edelstein will promote unity and not join the change bloc; Kipa says the joint party would commit not to sit with Arab or Haredi parties, while Israel National News says the founders do not support boycotts but oppose a government dependent on Arab or Haredi/non-Zionist parties. The remaining facts are uniform across the source pool.
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