Ultra-Orthodox Party May Abstain on Vote, Aiding Opposition Leader

With Israel's general election less than a month away, polls indicate neither of the main bloc leaders, Benjamin Netanyahu nor Benny Gantz, can form a government. However, a significant shift may be occurring within the ultra-Orthodox political landscape. Senior figures within the Agudat Yisrael party suggest that MK Meir Porush, contrary to expectations, will not vote against a minority government led by Gantz, but will instead abstain.

This potential abstention stems from a crisis in relations between Agudat Yisrael and Netanyahu's right-wing bloc, reportedly due to the inability to pass the conscription law for yeshiva students in the outgoing Knesset. According to the report by Amit Segal, these sources believe other members of the United Torah Judaism party might also abstain, though this remains uncertain.

Segal noted that this development means Netanyahu would need to secure more mandates than Gantz's bloc to prevent the formation of an opposition government. In response to the report, MK Porush stated, "Agudat Yisrael will not support the establishment of a government, nor will it assist any government from the outside, without regulating the status of yeshiva students and legislating a conscription law without sanctions and without targets."

This reported shift could potentially bring Gantz closer to forming a government, even if it is a minority one, by reducing the number of votes needed to pass a confidence motion.