United Torah Judaism Declines to Endorse Any Candidate for Prime Minister
The party withheld a recommendation during President Isaac Herzog's consultations. It has not endorsed Gadi Eisenkot or joined a coalition.
United Torah Judaism declined to recommend any candidate for prime minister during consultations with President Isaac Herzog on Thursday, withholding an endorsement from longtime ally Benjamin Netanyahu.
The decision followed instructions from the spiritual leaders of both factions of the party, Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yisrael, according to reports from the consultations.
Declining to recommend Netanyahu does not amount to endorsing Gadi Eisenkot or agreeing to join a government led by him. UTJ made no such announcement.
Party representatives said their position toward a future government would depend on legislation preserving military-service exemptions for yeshiva students, a longstanding demand of the party.
UTJ's delegation opened Thursday's consultations at the President's Residence. In Wednesday's meetings, Religious Zionism, Shas and Zehut recommended Netanyahu, while Yisrael Beytenu recommended Eisenkot.
Herzog is consulting party representatives before deciding whom to ask to form the next government. The recommendation process is separate from assembling a coalition, and UTJ's decision alone does not determine who will receive the mandate.