Pressure Mounts on United Right Head to Step Aside for Shaked

United Right Party chairman Rabbi Rafi Peretz faces a mounting challenge to his leadership, as many are backing former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked to replace him, according to Channel 12 on Thursday.

Rabbi Peretz has so far refused to step aside, despite pressure to do so from United Right MKs.

“There is no one left in the United Right, except for Rafi Peretz himself, who still believes that he should head a united right-wing party. Not MK Smotrich, not Otzma Yehudit’s Ben-Gvir, not many in the Jewish Home – certainly not Shaked and Bennett,” the report said.

Shaked has reportedly demanded the No. 1 spot as a condition for joining the right-wing alliance, but publicly has said little of her plans.

A poll published on Thursday morning conducted by the Dialog Institute under the supervision of Prof. Camil Fuchs for Arutz Sheva indicated that Shaked is far and away the most popular candidate to lead a technical right-wing bloc.

Shaked was the first choice to lead the bloc among 45 percent of respondents in the nationalist camp, people who voted in the last elections for United Right, New Right or Zehut.

Former Education Minister Naftali Bennett won 19 percent support, Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich 12 percent, and in a weak showing, Rabbi Peretz received only 5 percent support.

The deadline for submitting party electoral lists to the Central Elections Committee is August 2.