United Torah Judaism Chairman Moshe Gafni is in hot water for urging the Oppostition against another election, Israel Hayom has learned.
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Gafni met with Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday after his remarks caused a stir in the bloc.
Senior UTJ officials explained their leader's remarks, saying that while the Likud wanted another round of elections, their own party considered it a major gamble.
They also said that Gafni was "tackling a void" created by the exit of Shas leader Aryeh Deri, who resigned after pleading guilty to tax offense charges as part of a plea bargain, and UTJ MK Yakov Litzman, who they said is expected to retire soon.
"Both are irrelevant" now, they explained.
The officials also criticized the Shas leader, saying that "Deri is interested in another election so that it would be easier for him to legally return [to the Knesset] and be a minister [again]. Even now, some in Shas secretly agree with Gafni that we cannot possibly go to the polls."
Instead of another round of elections, the UTJ has urged for the creation of another government in the current Knesset, possibly by reaching an understanding with Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
