A Candidate To Bank On

The only candidate Anglos can 'Bank' on? Jan. 1, 2009 Gil Hoffman , THE JERUSALEM POST

Five US citizens ran for places on the Likud Knesset list, an Australian and a Canadian ran in Kadima, and another Canadian sought a seat in Israel Beiteinu, but none of them won a realistic slot.

10th on the National Union list in 2003 when it won seven seats and 16th in 2006 when it won nine.

According to a deal reached by the four The Likud merged Sunday with MK Effi parties that Knesset Candidate Uri Bank Eitam's Ahi Party and placed former Beit make up the Shemesh mayoral candidate Shalom Lerner of National Union Ahi, who has lived in New York, Baltimore and (Hatikva, Tkuma, Eretz Yisrael Shelanu and London, 39th on the joint list. But no poll has Moledet), if the list wins four seats and enters shown the govthe Likud ernment, “... the only Anglo candidate running with a winning the minparty currently represented in the Knesset who that many ister seats. would has any chance of getting elected.” quit the The Knesset Greens, the Green Movement, a new electoral to make room for Bank. They also decided that reform party called Yisraelim and a breakoff Bank would become the faction's manager in from the Green Leaf party are fielding Anglo the Knesset if they win fewer than five seats candidates and are trying to pass the 2 perbut remain in the opposition. cent electoral threshold for the first time. A Jerusalem Post poll found that the public That leaves Detroit-born, Chicago-raised Uri was not aware of the difference between the Bank of the National Union as the only Anglo National Union and the more centrist, nationalcandidate running with a party currently repre- religious Habayit Hayehudi party, but that tosented in the Knesset who has any chance of gether they would split seven or eight seats. getting elected. An internal poll sponsored by Tkuma last week found that the National Union would win Bank was placed fifth on the National Union five seats and Habayit Hayehudi three. list that was submitted to the Central Elections Committee on Sunday as the top representaThe 40-year-old Bank lives in Neveh Daniel in tive of his Moledet party following the retireGush Etzion with his wife and three children. ment of its chairman, Benny Elon. The slot He made aliya from Chicago when he was 12 was a significant upgrade for Bank, who was and stayed in the country on his own when his

parents left the country five years later.

Bank said the rejection of Anglo candidates in the Likud primary should sway Likud voters to his party.

In past elections, Bank ran as an Anglo candidate and campaigned specifically in large communities of native English speakers. This "If [Likud Chairman Binyamin] Netanyahu was time, he still intends to organize events in the serious about representing the Anglo commuAnglo sector and to build an English-lannity, he could have made sure that an Anglo guage campaign Web site, but he will also run would get on his list," Bank said. "It says on his rightsomething wing, religiousabout the NaZionist tional Union "As an Anglo, I understand the need that they put an ideology. for checks and balances and making Anglo candi"As an Anglo, I date who ran Israel more democratic more than my understand the with them twice need for checks before in a reIsraeli counterparts," Bank said. and balances ally realistic and making Isslot this time." rael more demo"But my main motivation in running cratic more than Likud Anglos is not only being the Anglo Conmy Israeli coundirector Shalom terparts," Bank Helman said gressman in the Knesset, it's also said. Netanyahu representing the people of Israel, made every ef"But my main fort to help Land of Israel and Torah of Israel." motivation in Leiter, who folrunning is not lowing the only being the merger and Anglo Congressman in the Knesset, it's also court cases ended up 42nd on the party's list. representing the people of Israel, Land of Israel and Torah of Israel." "[Leiter] didn't do as well, but [it was] in the Likud, which is a much bigger pond than a Bank will have a disadvantage in seeking marginal party," Helman said. "But if we do Anglo votes because the Likud began camreally well and bring people out to vote then paigning in the sector two years ago, Lerner and maybe even Yechiel will be MKs, has regular events, and an as they should be. And anyway, many of our English Web site updated candidates have been responsive to our daily. But needs, so not having an Anglo at the top of the list doesn't mean we won't have anyone representing us."

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