Degel HaTorah Tightens Control Over Knesset Aides Amid Internal Strife

The spiritual leadership of the Degel HaTorah faction has implemented a new directive requiring all parliamentary aides and advisors to Knesset members from the party to receive individual approval from the "House of Rabbis" before their appointment. This move represents a further consolidation of control by the faction's leadership, following recent decisions to replace veteran Knesset members.

The directive was published in the party's newspaper, 'Yated Ne'eman,' which also featured a sharp editorial criticizing the circles surrounding outgoing lawmakers. The editorial alleged that certain Knesset aides and their assistants collaborated with media figures aiming to introduce "foreign branches" into Haredi Judaism, undermining Torah study and launching baseless smear campaigns against the movement's leadership.

This heightened anger within the leadership reportedly stems from strong briefings by associates of the recently ousted Knesset members, Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev. These briefings were directed against those instigating the changes, reportedly aligned with Rabbi Dov Lando.

Despite the internal turmoil and their removal from the Knesset list, both Gafni and Maklev have been assigned new roles. Gafni has agreed to serve as the national chairman of Degel HaTorah, while Maklev has been appointed to the movement's management board.