Political Bombshell: Ex-Hostage Eitan Mor’s Father Joins Smotrich's Party as It Fights for Survival

Zvika Mor, father of captivity survivor Eitan Mor and one of the leaders of the Tikva Forum, is joining Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party and is expected to receive a high spot on the party’s Knesset list.

The move comes as the Religious Zionist Party struggles in recent polls, with several surveys showing it failing to cross the electoral threshold ahead of the 2026 election.

Mor’s addition is seen as an effort by Smotrich to broaden the party’s appeal and strengthen turnout among right-wing voters, particularly those connected to the hostage families’ camp that opposed major concessions to Hamas during the war.

Mor has become one of the most prominent figures in the Tikva Forum, which has pushed for continued military pressure on Hamas and rejected the approach of the main Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

His placement on the list could give Smotrich a recognizable public figure with strong ties to the wartime debate over the hostages, as the party works to avoid falling below the threshold.