United Torah Judaism MK Yaakov Litzman, who led the party for over a decade, announced Sunday that he would not run in any upcoming election.
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"If there are new elections, I won't be running," Litzman, 73, told the Knesset Channel. "I'm not going to the Knesset again. At my age… I've served in the Knesset for more than 23 years," he said.
He stressed that the decision "has nothing to do with the criminal investigations" currently being waged against him. adding he has "no plea deal" lined up.
Litzman is expected to be indicted for obstruction of justice and breach of trust in a case alleging that while serving as health minister, he used his power to prevent the extradition of suspected pedophile Malka Leifer to Australia. Leifer, a former principal of an Orthodox girls school in Melbourne, is suspected of sexually assaulting dozens of minors. Litzman is also suspected of using his minesterial authorities to prevent the closure of a deli cited for health violations.
