United Torah Judaism Submits Knesset List After Internal Strife

The United Torah Judaism party officially submitted its list of candidates for the 26th Knesset to the Central Elections Committee chairman, Justice Noam Sohlberg, on Tuesday evening. The submission followed internal disputes within the Agudat Yisrael faction of the party, which had seen two factions, Shlomei Emunim and Nozdim, initially submit candidates under a separate registered party. These factions clarified that this was a technical move to ensure fair partnership within Agudat Yisrael, which they claimed had been violated.

Despite the internal drama, party leadership instructed subsequent candidates on the United Torah Judaism list to sign their candidacy under Agudat Yisrael, as is customary. The list was submitted under the name "United Torah Judaism and Shabbat Agudat Yisrael" and requested the letter 'Gimel' for its electoral symbol.

MK Yaakov Asher, the incoming chairman of United Torah Judaism and chairman of Degel HaTorah, was placed at the head of the list. He stated, "We are embarking on this campaign with faith and confidence, out of unity, responsibility, and determination, and with God's help, we will succeed." Asher also emphasized the "great mission and heavy responsibility to faithfully represent the world of Torah and the Haredi public, and to act with all our might for the preservation of the world of Torah, strengthening the status of faithful Judaism, and caring for all the needs of the Haredi public."

Other prominent figures on the list include Yitzhak Goldknopf in second place, Yitzhak Pindrus in third, Meir Porush in fourth, Moshe Rosenthal in fifth, and Elyakim Stark, a representative of the Belz Hasidic dynasty, in sixth place. The list continues with Yehuda Weissfish, Yaakov Tessler, David Zaltz, David Ohana, Moshe Roth, and Eliyahu Brochi in the subsequent positions.