The election campaign for the 25th Knesset is entering its final alignment, when the moment when we will go to the polls to vote – is getting closer. Chairman of the Torah flag, MK Moshe Gafni, commented today (Thursday) in an interview with Walla! to a number of issues that are on the political agenda. He pointed out that Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Prime Ministers, and admitted that Netanyahu wanted to form a government with their support from outside – although this has been denied many times in the past.
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“I appreciate that Netanyahu wanted there to be support from the outside, something like a safety net. And to that Smotrich said no, I think he was wrong,” he said. He was asked if he supports the formation of a government while relying on Arab MKs, and replied: “I am not forming a government or putting together a coalition. As soon as there is such a thing, they will talk to us, we will consult and decide. The parliamentary work is also in collaboration with the Arab members of the Knesset, is it possible to do this in the government as well? I have no opinion, I do not rule it out. It deserves discussion.”
Another topic that came up during the interview, is the fear in the right-wing bloc of complacency among ultra-Orthodox voters of Torah Judaism. Gafni dismissed the concern and explained: “There is a lot of awakening in the ultra-orthodox public and I hope that we will increase the mandate. Anyone who makes such a noise about a decrease in the mandate probably has an interest in making such a noise, but it is not beyond.”
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Later, the chairman of Degal HaTorah refused to comment on the possibility that Netanyahu would not obtain 61 mandates to form the government, saying that according to his estimates “there will be a government led by Netanyahu. We went through a difficult year, everyone saw it and will come to vote. If there are not 61, the bloc will gather together with Netanyahu and decide.” He was asked if there was a possibility that his party would cooperate with a government led by Benny Gantz, and he replied: “It is not on the agenda, at all. He is not a potential partner for me. All these years we went with the right and Gantz is left. We have been with the right all these years, our party is ideological, we will never abandon the traditional public.”
As mentioned, the current election campaign is a significant challenge for Gafni’s party, among other things due to the influx of ultra-Orthodox youth to Itamar Ben Gabir’s party. The veteran Knesset member refused to be moved by this, and claimed: “The ultra-Orthodox youth will vote for Torah Judaism. Ben Gabir is doing what is forbidden according to the Halacha and going up to the Temple Mount.”
“I have not seen him in the struggles over religion and state with all the noise he makes and goes on a rampage. What is he doing to have a Jewish state here? He does nothing. What has he done? Unfortunately, only when there is an attack, you see him shouting and raging about Amr Bar Lev. It is possible that the young They applaud him, but they will vote for J,” he added.
Itamar Ben Gabir (Photo: Olivier Fitossy Flash 90)Another issue that came up was the question of integrating women into his party, and Gafni replied that the issue was not on the agenda. According to him, as soon as the rabbis say that a woman will go to the Knesset – that’s what will happen. “My opinion is irrelevant, I depend on what the rabbis and Torah elders say and as long as they say they won’t be, they won’t be,” he explained and was asked about the fact that a future government led by Netanyahu would have low female representation. In response, MK Gafni replied: “Ask the heads of the parties and governments why there is no equality in the secular parties or the various governments. I supported affirmative action against women in workplaces.”
The chairman of Degal HaTorah went on to detail the reforms that the government in which he will be a partner plans to carry out in the judicial system, and set one key condition. will agree to an escalation clause, there will be no coalition. We will not give it up, if they decide not to bring it – I get up and leave.”