The Jpost Discusses Uri Bank

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.

regular events, and an English Web site updated daily. But 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 time, he still intends to organize events in the "If [Likud Chairman Binyamin] Netanyahu was Anglo sector and to build an English-lanserious about representing the Anglo commuguage campaign Web site, but he will also run nity, he could have made sure that an Anglo on his rightwould get on wing, religioushis list," Bank Zionist said. "It says "As an Anglo, I understand the need something ideology. for checks and balances and making about the Na"As an Anglo, I tional Union Israel more democratic more than my understand the that they put an need for checks Anglo candiIsraeli counterparts," Bank said. and balances date who ran and making Iswith them twice rael more demo"But my main motivation in running before in a recratic more than ally realistic is not only being the Anglo Conmy Israeli counslot this time." terparts," Bank gressman in the Knesset, it's also said. Likud Anglos representing the people of Israel, director Shalom "But my main Helman said Land of Israel and Torah of Israel." motivation in Netanyahu running is not made every efonly being the fort to help Anglo Congressman in the Knesset, it's also Leiter, who following the merger and court representing the people of Israel, Land of Iscases ended up 42nd on the party's list. rael and Torah of Israel." "[Leiter] didn't do as well, but [it was] in the Bank will have a disadvantage in seeking Likud, which is a much bigger pond than a Anglo votes because the Likud began cammarginal party," Helman said. "But if we do paigning in the sector two really well and bring people out to vote then years ago, Lerner and maybe even Yechiel will be MKs, has as they should be. And anyway, many of our candidates have been responsive to our 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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