Renewed Religious National Zionist party

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The Renewed Religious National Zionist party (Hebrew: מפלגת ציונות דתית לאומית מתחדשת, Mifleget Tzionut Datit Leumit Mitkhadeshet) is a right wing nationalist Religious Zionist political party in Israel. It is currently part of the National Union.

[edit] Background

The party was created when Effi Eitam and Yitzhak Levi split from the National Religious Party during the 16th Knesset. The split resulted from opposition to Zevulun Orlev's faction in the party, after he had refused to resign from the government following its approval of Israel's unilateral disengagement plan. The split occurred when Eitam was suspended as chairman of the party after it failed to approve his suggestion to unite with National Union in order to form a large right wing-nationalist Religious Zionist party.

Eitam and Levi originally named their party the Religious Zionist (Hebrew: הציונות הדתית, HaTzionut HaDatit), but due to objections from the NRP that its name was too broad, a discussion at the party registrar resulted in the party being renamed the Connection Faction (Hebrew: סיעת התחברות, Siat HaTekhbarut). The party's final name listed in the party registry was the Renewed Religious National Zionist party.

On 1 August, 2005 the party merged into the National Union alongside Tkuma and Moledet to fight the 2006 election, and were joined at the last minute by the National Religious Party. The list won nine seats, of which the Renewed Religious National Zionist party took two.

[edit] Ideology

Ideologically, the party subscribes to Greater Israel, supports the Israeli settlement drive in Gaza and the West Bank. It vehemently opposes disengagement from Judea and Samaria, but opposes violence and civil disobedience against the IDF, and calls to respect the rule of law. The party platform also emphasizes on fighting government corruption, and more recently, also promoting social justice. The movement is supported by Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, who could be seen as its spiritual leader.