Israel’s Yamina alliance of right-wing parties splits into two factions

Israel’s Yamina alliance of right-wing parties split into two factions.

The New Right Party was formed before the national elections in April to include religious and secular voters.

It is headed by Yamina coalition leaders Ayelet Shaked and Naftali Bennett. An alliance of the Jewish Home and National Union parties made up the other party.

The parties split Thursday, a week after its members were sworn into the new Knesset. The alliance, which had formed in order to garner enough votes to pass the election threshold of 3.25 percent, had said prior to the Sept. 17 election that it would split following the vote.

The Knesset Arrangements Committee unanimously approved the breakup.