United Torah Judaism Crisis: Asher to Meet Goldknopf Amid Gur Threats

Yaakov Asher, chairman of the United Torah Judaism party, is scheduled to meet with Yitzhak Goldknopf, who is ranked second on the party's list, on Thursday. The meeting comes amid a deepening crisis within the party and threats from the Gur Hasidic community to boycott the upcoming elections. The Gur community has presented demands that have yet to be met, and Goldknopf reportedly intends to abstain from voting on the establishment of an Eisenkot government due to a rift with Netanyahu. Asher aims to forge a unified party stance amidst these internal divisions.

The threats of a boycott from the Gur community reflect an internal assessment within United Torah Judaism that the party will not significantly increase its electoral strength. Despite the Gur representative being eighth on the list and the party experiencing natural growth, projections suggest it may secure only seven seats. Sources on the ground describe the campaign as disorganized, ineffective, and lacking energy ahead of election day.

Within Netanyahu's bloc, there are concerns about a potential "Italian strike" by the Gur Hasidic community, meaning their members might not be mobilized to vote on election day. This worry is amplified by the presence of numerous small parties that may fail to pass the electoral threshold, potentially wasting votes. These include parties led by Ofer Winter, Yoaz Hendel, and Yaron Zehவுகளை.

Relations between the Gur Hasidic community and Netanyahu have reportedly deteriorated over the past term. Goldknopf left the government and has acted as an external, opposition figure, even expressing opposition to measures aimed at advancing the conscription exemption law for yeshiva students.