Gafni Reportedly Seeks to Block Degel HaTorah Partnership With Eisenkot

Former Degel HaTorah chairman Moshe Gafni is reportedly trying to prevent the party from joining a government headed by Gadi Eisenkot. Reports published on November 11 describe Gafni holding conversations inside and outside the party in recent days against the partnership pursued by its current chairman, MK Yaakov Asher. Asher is pursuing cooperation with the bloc opposing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He reportedly went on his own initiative to Avigdor Liberman’s office on November 11, where the two met for a few minutes. People within the bloc reportedly suspect Asher may be using their willingness to negotiate to send a message to Netanyahu, rather than intending to conclude a coalition agreement. Separately, unnamed political sources describe negotiations as further advanced than is publicly apparent. They say the bloc perceives Haredi willingness to move toward a government even if conscription legislation does not pass at the outset. The reported disagreement follows a change in Degel HaTorah’s leadership in September. Gafni left the chairmanship, and Uri Maklev was also removed from the leadership; Asher subsequently advanced to head the party. Asher is identified with Rabbi Dov Landau.