Settlements Minister Strock Wins Second Spot Behind Smotrich in Religious Zionism Primary | Israel Politics Post
Settlements Minister Strock Wins Second Spot Behind Smotrich in Religious Zionism Primary
Orit Strock secured the number-two slot on the party's Knesset list, while Smotrich is expected to use one of his reserved picks on the father of a former hostage who co-founded a group opposing ceasefire deals with Hamas.
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By Israel Politics Post Staff·Published
Settlements Minister Orit Strock at the Religious Zionism primary vote in Jerusalem · Source: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90, via The Times of Israel
Settlements Minister Orit Strock won the second spot on Religious Zionism's Knesset candidate list in the party's primary, behind leader Bezalel Smotrich, who was automatically reelected to the top spot and did not take part in the vote himself, The Times of Israel reported.
Other candidates who secured top slots included MKs Simcha Rothman, Zvi Sukkot and Ohad Tal, along with newcomer Omer Rahamim, who heads the Yesha Council representing West Bank settlements. Sitting MK Michal Woldiger fell all the way to seventh place in the vote.
Smotrich retains the right to reserve at least two slots for candidates of his own choosing, and is expected to use one of them on Tzvika Mor, the father of former hostage Eitan Mor, who joined the party in May after co-founding the Tikva Forum, a group of hostages' families that has opposed certain ceasefire arrangements with Hamas.
Current polling puts Religious Zionism at just four or five seats on its own, well short of its 2022 showing, unless it again runs jointly with Itamar Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit, as the two parties did that year. Smotrich has nonetheless predicted his party will win 10 seats on October 27.
