Ultra-Orthodox Faction Refuses to Recommend PM, Threatening Split
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
The Degel HaTorah faction of United Torah Judaism will not recommend a candidate for prime minister to President Yitzhak Herzog, citing the need to protect Torah scholars. This move, based on rabbinical orders, could lead to a split within the broader party, as other factions have differing internal opinions. The situation is complicated by the ongoing debate over the conscription law and the status of yeshiva students.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Degel HaTorah will not recommend any candidate for prime minister, per rabbinical orders.
- The faction's priority is the status of yeshiva students and Torah scholars.
- Agudat Yisrael faces internal divisions regarding recommendations.
- Two MKs from a separate faction have not yet decided their recommendation.
- A split within United Torah Judaism is possible over recommending Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Degel HaTorah faction of the United Torah Judaism party will not recommend any candidate to President Yitzhak Herzog for forming the next government, following instructions from Lithuanian rabbis. The faction stated its primary goal is to regulate the status of yeshiva students and halt perceived persecution of Torah scholars, refusing to give a blank check to any political side.
Meanwhile, the Agudat Yisrael faction faces internal divisions. While its chairman, Yitzhak Goldknopf, stated he will also not recommend a candidate based on the directives of his rabbinical leaders, two Knesset members, Meir Porush and Eliezer Stark, who lead a separate faction called "Chomat Torat Yisrael," have not yet finalized their position.
Political sources suggest that prominent Hasidic rabbis on the Council of Torah Sages may eventually instruct Porush and Stark to recommend Benjamin Netanyahu, which could lead to an open split within the United Torah Judaism party. This potential division arises amid the ongoing crisis surrounding the conscription law and the status of Torah scholars.
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