At an event to officially open the Degel Hatorah campaign headquarters in Bnei Brak, party chairman MK Moshe Gafne used the opportunity to speak out against the Peleg Yerushalmi faction, including Peleg members who often protest outside his home.

He cited how he is accused by the Peleg protesters of causing the induction of Yeshiva bochurim into the IDF. Gafne stated that in his 30 years in Knesset, he cannot think of a single case in which his actions have caused this, adding that if the Peleg can prove this to be true, he will resign from Knesset. Gafne added that ironically, he often works towards having talmidim arrested by military authorities released from prison, but this is not mentioned. He stated this includes Peleg-affiliated bochurim who were imprisoned, not just those aligned with Degel Hatorah.

He then targeted Peleg for running its own list in the Bnei Brak elections, questioning the wisdom of the move, insisting no one is discriminated against, including those affiliated with the Peleg faction.

Degel MK Yaakov Asher, who was also in attendance, did not follow Gafne’s lead, but preferred to address the need to clean up Bnei Brak and pay more attention to the need to stop littering and to remain alert to the condition of the city. He cited that keeping the Torah city clean is also “a Kiddush Hashem”.

Asher concluded, “We need to preserve our home, that is the city of Bnei Brak, and that justice and equality should be a practical part of the distribution of the city’s resources for all communities as part of the population and all the formulas for a third for the Litvish tzibur, a third for the Chassidim and a third for the Sephardim, but this does not match the equality and justice that must be observed in a practical fashion regarding concerns for all, each according to their size in the population. In this fashion, we will support he incoming mayor, who will be able to see the distribution of resources in a just and proper manner as deserved by the residents of the city.

MK Uri Maklev emphasized the need for achdus as well as the fast experience the incoming mayor has acquired, referring to Avraham Rubinstein, the party’s mayoral candidate.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)