Degel HaTorah Party Finalizes Knesset List Amid Coalition Talks

Hours after a significant political upheaval involving the removal of Knesset members Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev, the Degel HaTorah party's list for the upcoming Knesset elections is becoming clearer. The list will reportedly be headed by MK Yaakov Asher, who is aligned with Rabbi Dovid Landau. Following Asher will be MK Yitzhak Pindrus, associated with Rabbi Gershon Eidelstein. The third position is expected to go to Moshe Rosenthal, head of education in Bnei Brak and a follower of Rabbi Landau, with Yehuda Weissfish, CEO of the Union of Yeshivas and aligned with Rabbi Eidelstein, rounding out the top four.

Meanwhile, the eight-member committee of Agudath Yisrael convened to discuss and preliminarily approve an agreement with Degel HaTorah, aiming for a final signing soon. Joint negotiation teams from both parties are currently meeting with the goal of finalizing their coalition agreement imminently, possibly on the same day.

Significant progress has been made in negotiations between Agudath Yisrael and Degel HaTorah for a joint run in the 26th Knesset elections, with the parties nearing consensus on the allocation of spots on their shared list. Key agreements being formulated include provisions for rotation based on the number of mandates the joint list secures. If the list wins seven mandates, Degel HaTorah would not be required to rotate its eighth position. If the list achieves eight mandates, Agudath Yisrael would be exempt from rotating the ninth spot, which belongs to Degel HaTorah.

Furthermore, an agreement is emerging whereby the tenth position, initially designated for Agudath Yisrael, will be transferred to Degel HaTorah. This shift would substantially alter the balance of positions between the two factions, effectively securing the seventh spot for Degel HaTorah if the list reaches seven mandates, without the need for rotation with Agudath Yisrael. This arrangement aims to prevent a recurrence of the previous Knesset's situation, where Degel HaTorah ended up with only three Knesset members despite the list winning seven mandates, due to rotation disputes with Agudath Yisrael.