Degel HaTorah Paper Slams Aides After MKs' Ouster, Vows Rabbinical Approval for Staff

Days after the ouster of Knesset members Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev, the Degel HaTorah party's official newspaper, Yated Ne'eman, published a scathing editorial attacking parliamentary aides. The article, titled "We Cannot Stop with Words," accuses these aides of launching a media campaign and public relations effort against the party's leadership, claiming they "spat in the well from which they drink."

The editorial states that the decision to remove Gafni and Maklev, made by senior rabbis including Rabbi Dov Landau, was initially meant to remain private out of respect. However, the paper alleges that some aides exploited this silence, using media outlets to incite public dissent and undermine the rabbis' authority. The article asserts that Rabbi Landau had previously expressed full confidence in Gafni and Maklev, particularly regarding their handling of the conscription law, acting strictly according to Torah directives.

The paper explains the decision for a "change of guard" was a long-standing consideration due to the "emergency situation facing religious Jewry." While an initial discussion considered replacing all veteran representatives, it was decided to replace only those who had served for decades, acknowledging the need for experienced individuals in parliamentary complexities. The editorial singles out a minority of aides, whom it claims collaborated with journalists hostile to religious Jewry, spreading slander and personal insults against the rabbis and attempting to sow discord within the Torah leadership.

According to the newspaper, these aides were also involved in leaking information during discussions on the conscription law and were even recommended for removal from public activity. The editorial notes that these actions were perceived as a coordinated public campaign orchestrated by the aides in response to attempts to handle the matter respectfully. Following complaints from rabbis and community leaders who experienced "terror" from these aides, Rabbi Landau decided to conclude the matter, with the decision conveyed directly to the MKs by a personal envoy.

As a direct consequence of this alleged misconduct, Degel HaTorah has decided that starting from the next Knesset term, the appointment of any parliamentary aide will require the approval of the party's Rabbinical Committee. This measure aims to ensure that all internal party matters are conducted in accordance with Torah directives.