JERUSALEM, Feb. 25 (JTA) — A moderate religious movement has announced that it will run again as a political party in the next Knesset elections. Officials of Meimad, whose earlier electoral efforts were unsuccessful, said they wanted to give a voice to observant Jews who take a more moderate stand on such political issues as negotiations with the Palestinians. The party could provide an alternative to the National Religious Party for moderate religious Zionists who support the peace process. The move comes in the wake of the death of NRP leader Zevulun Hammer, who was a moderate voice in a party that increasingly adopted a hawkish stance on political and diplomatic issues. However, Meimad activists maintained that the idea of forming an independent list preceded Hammer’s death. “Meimad activists decided to establish a political body as an alternative to the NRP, ahead of the next elections, primarily because of the NRP’s political stance within the government” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Meimad leader, Yehuda Amital. The next elections are slated for the year 2000.
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