Ultra-Orthodox Party to Abstain on Rival Government Vote

Senior figures within the Agudat Yisrael party, representing the Gur Hasidic sect, have indicated that their Knesset member Yitzhak Goldknopf will not vote against the formation of a government led by Benny Gantz. Sources within the party suggest that Goldknopf and fellow Gur representative Yaakov Tessler plan to abstain from a vote on establishing a minority government, even if it lacks a 61-seat majority. They further estimate that other Agudat Yisrael representatives will follow suit, and potentially even the Lithuanian Degel HaTorah faction will abstain.

The Gur Hasidic leadership reportedly seeks to distance itself from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, believing his political career is over. They are signaling that they will not obstruct a Gantz-led government and may even seek political concessions for their abstention. The Gur faction is confident that other factions within the United Torah Judaism party will also abstain due to anger towards Netanyahu.

However, the article notes that the participation of other factions remains uncertain, and the estimations from the Gur sources may not materialize. Rabbi Hirsch, a prominent Lithuanian leader, recently stated the need to prevent the strengthening of the left.

This development could significantly alter election calculations. While Gantz has stated he would form a government without a majority, he would not rely on non-Zionist parties. Previously, the concern was about Arab parties, but now the potential abstention of some Haredi parties is also a factor. For Netanyahu to secure his position, a tie between the blocs is no longer sufficient; he would need a two-seat advantage over Gantz's bloc to prevent a rival government from being formed.