Undoubtedly the inability of the sides to iron out their differences will lead to a loss for the chareidi tzibur at large, for the decision of the HaPeles/Yerushalmi faction to split off and run independently in the general elections will cost the chareidi tzibur a seat, if not more.
After the Moetzas Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah met earlier in the week and decided not to reinstate Rav Menachem Carmel, it signaled the end of any chance of unity ahead of the election. The HaPeles faction will run independent of Degel HaTorah, under the party name Netzach. Heading the list will be the deputy editor of HaPeles, Yeshayahu Wein, 35, a resident of Kiryat Sefer. The decision was made in consultation with HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita, who gave his bracha for the move to run alone.
Laadat reports that Rav Yaakov Friedman, who acts as a spokesman for Netzach, confirmed this is the case and the Degel split off faction has decided to run independently. Rav Friedman is quoted as adding “we realized they wiped out the dead, as well as the living.” He was referring to the decision making process that did not take into account the position of Rav Auerbach, as well as earlier statements that the decision to oust Carmel from the lineup was contrary to HaGaon HaRav Elyashiv ZT”L, who made the appointment.
Being that Rav Carmel is still officially a member of Degel, as well as heading the party’s Housing Vaad, he will not appear in the Netzach lineup.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
It will only cost seats if one (or both) of the lists fall under the threshold, espeically if they have a “vote sharing” agreement (so the fraction “leftover” of the smaller goes to the larger).
It does weaken their influence after the election, unless their faction makes “all” the difference in forming a government. A bigger faction is harder to ignore and easier to cut a deal with, so the split will encourage the winner (probably Likud) to try to cut a deal with someone else.
Is it possible that Rav Elyashiv zatzal appointed him because he knew he would be loyal to whatever the rov would say, but now that the rov is not with us that does not apply?
My way or the highway. Why am I not surprised?
Who has decided and why is Rav Carmel the point of disention?
It will cost a seat even if they do get it because the first seat each party gets requires 2% of the vote and every other seat requires less than 0.83%.