Degel HaTorah Ousts Knesset Members Gafni and Maklev

Knesset members Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev have been removed from the Degel HaTorah party following a decision by the party's leadership. The move was announced by the office of Rabbi Dov Landau, a prominent religious authority within the Lithuanian Haredi community. The dismissal of Gafni and Maklev, who have held their positions for many years, has reportedly caused anger and criticism within the party, with some deeming the action insulting, especially after their recent attempts to prevent their removal from the party list, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation Kan 11.

The decision paves the way for Knesset member Yaakov Asher, who is close to Rabbi Landau, to assume leadership of the party. Gafni and Maklev are expected to be replaced by new faces on the electoral list. Rabbi Landau's office stated that Gafni and Maklev will leave the Knesset to make way for new representatives, though Gafni was asked to continue in his role as party chairman. Rabbi Landau also thanked them for their work in defending the interests of yeshiva students.

According to the newspaper Haaretz, the dismissals are part of an internal power struggle within Degel HaTorah over influence and party management. Rabbis Dov Landau and Moshe Hillel Hirsch are reportedly seeking to strengthen their influence by appointing individuals aligned with their circles to leadership and parliamentary positions. The possibility of replacing Gafni and Maklev had been discussed within the party in recent months, fueled by a sentiment among segments of the Haredi public that the current generation of leaders has exhausted its ability to influence, particularly after the failure to exempt yeshiva students from military service.

Knesset member Yitzhak Pindrus is expected to take the second position on the party's list, while the occupants of the following positions have not yet been finalized. Among the potential candidates are Moshe Zaluzhny, Gafni's assistant, Dudi Salz, deputy mayor of Beitar Illit, and Eliezer Rauchberger, deputy mayor of Jerusalem. Haaretz previously revealed that attempts to change the list's composition began over a month ago, but Gafni and Maklev initially did not believe the move would succeed. As it gained momentum in the past week, they intensified their efforts and contacts with senior rabbis and aides to religious leaders to halt the dismissals, but their efforts did not result in an agreement to prevent their removal.