United Torah Judaism denies possibly joining Gantz-led coalition

Health Minister MK Yaakov Litzman's representatives from the United Torah Judaism party commented on MK Yisrael Eichler's statements on Tuesday morning regarding the possibility of joining a Gantz-led coalition, saying that 'the reports made in his name regarding the future of the right-wing bloc are incorrect.' The representatives stressed that 'there has not been any change in United Torah Judaism's position concerning its support for Benjamin Netanyahu after the upcoming election and maintaining the unity of the right-wing bloc.' In an interview with Knesset Channel's Moshe Glassner and Roey Katz, United Torah Judaism MK Eichler hinted at possibly joining a coalition led by Blue and White leader Benny Gantz if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu loses power. United Torah Judaism howver has ruled out the possibility of joining a Blue and White-led government, calling the party's number two, former finance minister Yair Lapid, an antisemite. 'Netanyahu is not Netanyahu the person anymore,' Eichler explained when asked why his party sided with the prime minister. 'Netanyahu is the symbol of a coup d'état, of a guillotine called democracy, that comes to behead the prime minister that has revolutionized [Israeli] diplomacy, economy and society.' Eichler, who represents Israel's Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox population, explained that Netanyahu is 'on our side, which is one of his disadvantages and one of the reasons why they want to eliminate him. Hence, we say we are with Netanyahu in order to protect our democracy.' Eichler said he sides with Netanyahu 'in the name of protecting the democratic order, the only order that enables us as a Haredi [Ultra-Orthodox] minority to live in the State of Israel.' He added that 'if, God forbid, there is a revolution, and we are already in the middle of a coup that started in the Supreme Court and turned the Knesset into a Duma,' referring to the Russian parliament known as the National Duma – 'If we will have the guillotine system here and the government will not be replaced through the ballot or through fair elections but by the judicial system and the media, as a minority, we will not be able to [exist peacefully] or join a coalition because we will be segregated and persecuted.' When asked by Glassner why his party has joined center-left governments in the past, supporting the Supreme Court and helping it maintain its power, Eichler responded that 'it is not just the High Court of Justice anymore,' saying that in his eyes, the immunity vote in the Knesset is 'a coup d'etat.' Eichler said that he has 'been in the Knesset since 1981 – first as a journalist and then as an MK,' and stressed the importance of the Knesset code, without which 'decisions will be made in the streets.' He added that today, 'decisions are not made in the Knesset but in the media and the judicial system.' When asked what he would do if Netanyahu loses power, Eichler said that his party does not 'fight for Netanyahu the person, but against the transition of power to the judicial system that is at its core against us, or the media that has been against us for 70 years.' He added that all actions passed with the support of the Haredi parties and his party in particular were for the benefit of the general public rather than just that of the Haredi minority. 'The day after the election, we will see the results and examine our options,' he said, adding that his party will side with the prime minister 'as long as there is an option to go with Netanyahu.' He added that 'if there will not be such an option, we will have to choose between staying in the opposition – an option we took for 20 years – or join a coalition.'

United Torah Judaism denies possibly joining Gantz-led coalition

"If there will not be such an option, we will have to choose between staying in the opposition – an option we took for 20 years – or join a coalition."

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