A public exchange erupted among senior Chareidi political figures Wednesday night, highlighting growing tensions over the future of the draft law, potential political alliances and the direction of the Chareidi parties ahead of the elections.
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri addressed the possibility that Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni could align himself politically with former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, saying during an appearance on “The Patriots,” “I don’t believe Gafni will go with Eisenkot.”
Gafni responded by making clear that his political calculations will revolve primarily around resolving the status of bnei yeshivos.
“I will go with whoever resolves the issue of the status of yeshiva students. That is the only consideration,” Gafni said.
Gafni’s declaration comes as the future of the draft law and efforts to secure the status of bnei yeshivos increasingly dominate Chareidi political discussions. Degel HaTorah has sought to emphasize that its future political decisions will be determined first and foremost by which political framework can provide an acceptable solution to the issue.
The exchange then expanded beyond Gafni and the draft issue, with Deri turning his attention to Motti Babchik, a close aide to Housing and Construction Minister Yitzchok Goldknopf, and Babchik’s standing within Ger amid internal discussions surrounding Goldknopf’s political future.
“There is one person in charge in Ger, and that is the Rebbe, who decided that Goldknopf will continue in his position. Babchik is his assistant, so please refer to him that way,” Deri said.
The comments were widely viewed as a pointed jab at Babchik, who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Goldknopf’s inner circle and has played a significant behind-the-scenes role in Chareidi political affairs.
Babchik quickly fired back, shifting the focus toward Shas and its own spiritual leadership.
“Baruch Hashem, Shas has Maran Rav Yitzchok Yosef, and we all know his position regarding the draft law and his position on Binyamin Netanyahu,” Babchik said.
{Matzav.com}
