The Israeli United Torah Judaism party refused on Thursday to recommend appointing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form the next government, despite its alliance with him, a move that could enhance the opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot's chances of receiving the mandate. This came during a meeting between representatives of the religious party and President Isaac Herzog, on the second and final day of his consultations with the parties that won the elections, to determine which Knesset member he would appoint to form the government.
The religious party's stance
Representatives of United Torah Judaism, which holds 7 seats in the Knesset (parliament), stated that they do not recommend any candidate to form the government. However, they kept the door open to supporting a candidate capable of meeting their demands, primarily allowing religious Jewish "Haredim" to devote themselves to studying the Torah, and reaching an agreed formula regarding their service in the Israeli military.
Decline in support for Netanyahu
The party's position represents a departure from that of its religious ally "Shas," which recommended on Wednesday appointing Netanyahu to form the government. By abstaining from recommending Netanyahu, United Torah Judaism is likely to reduce the number of MPs recommending him from 53 to 46, compared to the 67 MPs expected to recommend appointing opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot of the "Yesh Atid" party.
Future of the government
Jewish opposition parties, which hold 48 seats in the Knesset, had announced their intention to recommend Eisenkot, along with 19 Arab MPs from the Joint List and the United Arab List. Herzog is likely to appoint one of the Knesset members to form the government within the next few days, within a 28-day deadline, extendable by an additional 14 days.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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