Jerusalem Faction Proposes New Anti-Draft Party to Gorsky, But He Declines

Representatives of the Jerusalem Faction and several rabbis met on Thursday night at the home of faction member Eliyahu Goldshtoff to propose that Yaakov Gorsky (Bebatzik) leave the United Torah Judaism party and form a new political party with a hardline stance against the conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews. Despite the proposal, Gorsky rejected the idea and advised them to continue supporting United Torah Judaism, which already opposes the draft. Attendees included Rabbi Yitzhak Rabin from Bnei Brak, the son of Rabbi Boaron, and Yaakov Chaim Miller from the Lelov Hasidic dynasty. Over the weekend, Haredi media reported that United Torah Judaism plans to run as a technical bloc, with speculation that Meir Porush might split from Agudat Yisrael after the elections.