The split in the National Religious Party became official
with Effi Eitam and Yitzchak Levy's announcement that they
were resigning from the NRP to form an independent party
called Religious Zionism.
The resignation of the two MKs, each of whom has headed the
NRP in the past, is a sign of the major crisis the party is
going through as a result of the disengagement plan.
Their resignation was considered merely a matter of time.
Eitam served as Housing Minister under Sharon and Levy served
as deputy minister of the now dismantled Ministry of
Religious Affairs. Following the government's decision to
advance the disengagement plan, the two figures resigned from
the government and from the coalition while fellow party
member Zevulun Orlev, then Welfare Minister, remained in the
government and the coalition together with the other members
of the NRP.
The move effectively divided the party into two. Levy and
Eitam consistently supported no-confidence motions while the
other four party members continued to back Sharon's
government. But eventually they too resigned due to Sharon's
insistence not to hold a referendum on the disengagement
plan.
According to reports, one month ago Eitam and Levy reached an
agreement with HaIchud HaLeumi over a parliamentary alliance
with the NRP, but the majority of NRP members rejected that
agreement.
Two weeks ago the NRP court decided to suspend Eitam from his
post as NRP chairman, a step that eventually led to Eitam and
Levy's recent decision.
According to the Knesset law, one-third of a party (with a
minimum of two MKs) can split from their party and form an
independent party. Since the NRP numbered six MKs, Eitam and
Levy were able to take advantage of this law which will make
them eligible to receive funding and all of the other
benefits given to Knesset parties. Meanwhile the NRP will
lose funding.
At a press conference held by Eitam and Levy, Eitam said
their party will unite the right-wing parties NRP, Tekuma and
Moledet into one large camp which they will lead in the next
elections. "The Jewish people are being endangered by the
Prime Minister, who goes out against his brethren, expelling
women and children from their homes and unearthing graves,"
he added.
MK Yitzchak Levy said it was a hard day for him after 18
years of being a part of the NRP leadership, but claimed this
step is imperative for the sake of the national-religious
public. "The NRP closed itself off to the point where we no
longer found it possible to effect change from within," he
explained. "The boat must be rocked from the outside. We left
the NRP so that it will call us to return."
NRP chairman of the Knesset faction, Zevulun Orlev, expressed
regret over their resignation from the party despite the
efforts he says he made to preserve unity within the camp and
the repeated compromise proposals that went unanswered. "I
find it unfortunate that at this critical time, which
requires full unity in the battle against the disengagement,
Eitam and Levy are engaged in schisms and resignations not
based on any ideological reason and are directing their
struggle toward [the NRP]." Orlev also expressed confidence
that the NRP would overcome the resignation, just at it did
in the past with the resignation of MKs such as Porat and
Handel.
HaIchud HaLeumi Chairman MK Benny Eilon said, "The betrayal
of Sharon and the other worthless figures in the Likud
government demands that all of religious Zionism and all of
those loyal to Eretz Yisrael gather under the single roof of
HaIchud HaLeumi. The power of unity is tremendous. In the
upcoming elections HaIchud HaLeumi and all of the NRP
factions must run together."
