United Torah Judaism Celebrates Election Gains Amidst Political Strife

Leaders of the United Torah Judaism party gathered in Bnei Brak to celebrate preliminary election results for the 26th Knesset, expressing strong messages towards the political and judicial systems. Party Chairman Yaakov Asher declared victory, stating, "The Torah won, the flag of Torah won, and United Torah Judaism won. They all eulogized us. They tried to do many things to us and couldn't." Asher noted that due to a decision by the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, prohibiting real-time vote data transmission from polling stations, an exact vote count is difficult to ascertain. However, he claimed that based on their data, the party gained tens of thousands of votes and asserted that they would not engage in political negotiations until the final results are published.

Asher addressed internal sector struggles and external criticism, stating, "What didn't they do to us? They threatened us with a white ballot, a black ballot, a yellow ballot. The great rabbis won, and the public obeyed them despite attempts to undermine the connection. You wanted to tear us apart, but we will not break. We will fight for the rights of the Haredi public as equal citizens." Member of Knesset Moshe Gafni admitted to feeling deep anxiety on election night, citing concerns over what he described as "false incitement against Torah scholars" and the actions of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, and the media. He expressed relief, stating, "This night has put my mind at ease."

Other party representatives also spoke at the event. Member of Knesset Meir Porush claimed that field data indicated they had surpassed 300,000 votes, emphasizing that the result imposes a responsibility to rectify perceived injustices against Torah scholars in recent years. Designated MK Eliyahu Stark congratulated activists, attributing the achievement to their hard work at the polling stations despite the challenges of the election campaign.