An overwhelming two-thirds of National Religious Party (NRP) voters favor a merger with the National Union Party, according to a survey conducted for Israel´s Voice of Israel.

NRP leaders Effie Eitam and Yitzhak Levy signed a merger agreement with National Union representatives earlier this week, but NRP party whip Zevulun Orlev denounced it as invalid.

The survey conducted by Dr. Yitzhak Katz of the Magar Mohot Institute revealed that 66 per cent of the NRP voters support the merger and only 19 per cent oppose it. The poll also gave Eitam the most support to lead a right-wing bloc. One-third of those polled supported Eitam and 17 per cent backed National Union MK Binyamin (Benny) Elon. The NRP has about 130,000 voters.

The initiative by Eitam and Levy was the last straw in a long dispute between NRP leaders and climaxed this week with verbal jibes between Eitam and Orlev.

In a faction meeting, Orlev said that most religious Zionists are "balanced and reasonable" and do not support the extremist "fringe" positions favored by the National Union.

Eitam replied, "How can you characterize settlers as being "on the fringes?" and Orlev retorted, "Don´t put your demagogy in my mouth. The settlers are dear people [but] the National Union does not have ownership over settler representation." (IsraelNationalNews © 01/28/05)