Kol Chai Radio reports that a meeting of the Moetzas Chachmei HaTorah of Shas has postponed its meeting to assign the party lineup for the upcoming elections until Thursday afternoon, February 21, to be held in the home of Chacham Shalom Cohen. Rav Cohen lives in Jerusalem’s Old City.

Yediot Achronot reports that PM Netanyahu was “directly interfering” in efforts towards reaching agreement between the Bayit Yehudi and Ichud Leumi parties. While the parties were meeting in the home of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Druckman, PM Netanyahu phoned several times from Poland, the report adds.

Bayit Yehudi candidate Yifat Erlich accuses Ichud Leumi Chairman Betzalel Smotrich of being unwilling to abide by rulings of rabbonim. Smotrich denies the accusations.

Itamar Ben-Givir attacks Ichud Leumi Chairman Betzalel Smotrich. He claims that on Wednesday, an agreement was signed with Otzma Yehudit in which the latter receives the third and fifth positions running with Ichud Leumi and the fourth and seventh positions if they run with Bayit Yehudi. A day later he recanted.

The Moetzas Gedolei Torah of Degel Hatorah is scheduled to meet on Sunday evening to approve the party lineup. First place remains in the hands of Moshe Gafne, followed by Uri Maklev, Yaakov Asher, Yitzchak Pindrus, Eliyahu Bruchi and David Ochana. Obviously, the order changes if they run with Agudas Yisrael under the combined Yahadut Hatorah banner.

The Committee of Eight of Agudas Yisrael is scheduled to convene at 11:00AM on Monday, 18 February, to give its final approval of the party list in the election for 21st Knesset. The party’s Moetzas Gedolei Torah is not planning to meet, but relying on the Committee of Eight to set the party’s list.

Election for 21st Knesset will be held on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. The players must finalize their lists and deals with other parties and submit them to the Central Election Committee no later than this Thursday, February 21, 2019, at 10:00PM.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)