Serious tensions are erupting inside Agudas Yisroel as senior figures in Shlomei Emunim and Belz are openly rejecting efforts by Gerer representatives to negotiate a renewed electoral agreement with Degel HaTorah, insisting that Gur does not represent them and revealing that they are exploring the possibility of running in a technical bloc with another party.
Despite the escalating disputes, United Torah Judaism is still expected to ultimately contest the coming Knesset election as a unified list, as previously reported by Kikar HaShabbat. Over the past day, however, significant disagreements have emerged within Degel HaTorah, among the batei Gedolei Yisroel and inside Agudas Yisroel itself.
A Degel HaTorah MK quoted Monday dismissed speculation about a possible breakup of United Torah Judaism as “hot air.” That assessment may ultimately prove correct, but the internal political temperature has risen considerably since then.
Senior Degel HaTorah officials gathered in Bnei Brak last Thursday for a meeting that included, unusually, a representative considered extremely close to Rav Dov Landau. The purpose was reportedly to hear the election-related conclusions reached by senior party officials and convey them to Rav Landau.
The meeting prompted an angry reaction from members of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch’s household, who reportedly learned about it incidentally and believed they were being excluded from the process.
“If they think they are going to manage the elections without us, they will very quickly understand our strength. What kind of chutzpah is it to ignore us and close things without our involvement?!” they were quoted as saying.
According to the report, the frustration surrounding Rav Hirsch’s household extends well beyond that particular meeting. The underlying concern is a broader feeling that they have been excluded from important decisions, including discussions over whether Degel HaTorah should replace members of its Knesset slate ahead of the election — an option now understood to be largely impractical.
While Degel HaTorah has sought to project an outward appearance of unity despite tensions between the different leadership circles and rivalries among some MKs and public representatives, the situation inside Agudas Yisroel is reportedly considerably more volatile. The tensions reportedly include the elevation of a Degel deputy mayor into the circle making election decisions at the expense of another deputy mayor.
According to Kikar HaShabbat, figures in Shlomei Emunim, Belz and Sanz learned from its report Monday that talks had begun toward another joint Degel HaTorah-Agudas Yisroel run. Those negotiations were reportedly being conducted by Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert together with Degel HaTorah financial official Moshe Schiffman.
Senior officials in Shlomei Emunim and Belz responded furiously, challenging the authority of Gerer representatives to negotiate on their behalf.
“Where does Gur get the chutzpah and audacity to conduct negotiations in our name? Not only do they not represent us, but we are currently involved in a personal dispute with them over financial issues that this is not the place to elaborate upon.”
The officials told Kikar HaShabbat unequivocally that, as far as they are concerned, no negotiations with Degel HaTorah are presently taking place.
“From our perspective, there are currently no negotiations whatsoever with Degel HaTorah. Zeibert, and certainly his chassidus, Gur, absolutely do not represent us. We hope he represents himself, and therefore, as far as we are concerned, there are currently no contacts with Degel HaTorah.”
One senior figure from one of the chassidusen went further, revealing that alternatives to United Torah Judaism are already being explored rather than waiting until immediately before the candidate-list deadline.
“Because we understand which way the wind is blowing, and we understand that Gur is once again going to manipulate us and also manipulate Degel HaTorah, we are not going to wait until the last minute, when various forms of pressure will be brought to bear on us. So I’ll tell you something new: We are beginning to conduct talks with other parties with whom we could peacefully coexist as a technical bloc.”
According to the official, preliminary contacts have recently begun with the Noam Party, which is itself expected to join with the party associated with Rav Abergil. He argued that such an arrangement could potentially be compatible with the chassidic factions, pointing to Noam chairman Avi Maoz’s relationship with Chareidi parties during the previous Knesset.
“In recent days, preliminary contacts have begun with the Noam Party, which will apparently join Rabbi Abergil’s party. In principle, we have no problem with them, and we also saw in the last Knesset how much Avi Maoz stood alongside the chareidim, so a connection with him could be more than natural. In any case, even for negotiating purposes these contacts are good for us, so that no one thinks we are in anyone’s hands. This time we will go with whoever it is most worthwhile for us to go with. If that is within United Torah Judaism, all the better, but if not, we have other options.”
Another dispute is reportedly developing over the fifth position traditionally allocated to Gur. Under the agreement reached during the previous election, that slot — which had historically belonged to Gur and had previously helped the chassidus send two representatives to the Knesset on two occasions — was transferred to Sanz.
Kikar HaShabbat reports that Motti Babchik, a powerful figure within Agudas Yisroel, has recently been working to return the fifth position to Gur. According to the report, Babchik is seeking support within the chassidus to become its second representative, potentially positioning himself to enter the Knesset.
With approximately two weeks remaining before the deadline for submitting Knesset candidate lists, substantial disagreements still need to be resolved if the factions are to run together. As the deadline approaches, the growing disputes inside both Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisroel leave the ultimate composition of the Chareidi electoral slate unsettled.
