Two separate right-wing parties in Israel, Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) and the National Union, were each expected to receive roughly two Knesset seats in Israel’s current election according to most polls. The only problem is that the minimum requirement for a party to enter Israel’s Knesset and serve as an acting lawmaker is four seats.

But after much deliberation and pressure from Israel’s right-wing camp, the two parties reached an agreement where they would unite together and run on a joint ticket. The result – The new party called ‘Religious Zionism’ is now polling at five seats, more than the required four seat minimum threshold.

In a tweet, Ben Gvir said: “We have united for the nation of Israel, the land of Israel and for the Torah of Israel”

מתאחדים. למען עם ישראל, ארץ ישראל ותורת ישראל. pic.twitter.com/GIH6chisDB

— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) February 3, 2021

The third on the list is Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir. In an exclusive interview, Ben-Gvir told Israel365 News that he is in favor of building the third Temple as commanded in the book of Exodus:

And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.(Exodus 25:8)

Additionally, he is in favor of Israel retaking all of Judea and Samaria and applying sovereignty on all of the land that was conquered in 1967 (not just Area C) which he sees as a fulfilment of prophecy from the Book of Joshua:

Every spot on which your foot treads I give to you, as I promised Moshe. (Joshua 1:3)

The head of the party is Betzalel Smotrich, who currently serves in the Knesset as head of his National Union faction. In Israel’s last election, his party joined forces with former defense minister Naftali Bennet’s New Right party to enter the current 23rd Knesset.

The news prompted Moshe Feiglin, another pro-Temple politician with a large social media following to endorse the merger saying “it put a smile on my face.”