Prime minister to attend 'United for the land of Israel' counter-rally in Tel Aviv
Bayit Yehudi's Naftali Bennett, and Yachad's Eli Yishai also to attend in bid to consolidate right-wing before Tuesday's elections.
By JPOST.COM STAFFRally in solidarity with southern Israeli citizens at Tel Aviv's Rabin Square. (photo credit: Lahav Harkov)
Contradicting reports that he would not speak at the right-wing rally in Tel Aviv scheduled for Sunday evening, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his attendance for the demonstration, dubbed "United for the Land of Israel."The prime minister is set to speak at 8 p.m., following an opening by Daniella Weiss, the rally's orchestrator, former Kedumim mayor and head of the Nachala organization which promotes the construction of controversial Jewish outposts in the West Bank.The upcoming demonstration is meant to bolster the efforts of Israel's political right to retain control of the government, who claim that Saturday's left-wing rally, which drew some 30,000 supporters, called for “replac[ing] the government and establish[ing] an Arab state in the heart of the Land of Israel.”Also attending the rally will be Bayit Yehudi head Naftali Bennett and the party's no. 2, MK Ayelet Shaked.Bayit Yehudi, ordinarily associated with the country's national-religious movement and settler community, had initially expressed uncertainty about attending the event due to its concern that the media would skew the number of attendees and distort what would transpire there.Bayit Yehudi MKs were also worried that Weiss did not have the resources to compete with the scale of the left-wing's rally and that attending would ultimately backfire by giving the impression that their party fully supports the prime minister.Transportation Minister Israel Katz and former minister Benny Begin will also speak, as well as Rabbi Druckman, another figure from the national religious camp who earned controversial fame after employing another rabbi convicted of indecent conduct with a minor.Also attending the event will be Eli Yishai, the former Shas leader and head of the new Haredi party Yachad, which already announced their support for the prime minister.The rally is planned for Sunday night and will occur in Rabin Square.
