'Nothing is a given.' Gafni
Photo: Gil Yohanan
'Better chance.' Netanyahu
Photo: Gil Yohanan
United Torah Judaism hints: Support of Netanyahu not definite
Haredi party's no. 2 man says Likud leader has better chance of forming stable coalition, but adds 'eventually we will do what Torah sages say'
United Torah Judaism's (UTJ) Moshe Gafni told Ynet Wednesday that his party was still undecided on its steps towards coalitional negotiations, and hinted that its support of Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu was not definite.
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"We haven't made any decision, and with us, nothing is a given. First of all we would like to see how the blocs come together," Knesset Member Gafni said, adding that he was in contact with Netanyahu as well as Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni and Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman.
Gafni, placed second on UTJ's Knesset roster, said his party and Shas, the two haredi parties, do not constitute one ideological bloc.
"People are not really familiar with the religious parties," he said, "the hard-core Shas supporters are not even ultra-Orthodox; many people back the party due to ethnic affinity, and this public is for the most part rightist. Therefore, (Shas Chairman) Eli Yishai must say that he will join a coalition led by Netanyahu; otherwise he would not receive such widespread support. But all of this does not obligate us. We tell our public: We will act in accordance with the Torah sages' decree."
Gafni admitted that UTJ, which won five mandates in Tuesday's general elections, "is a small faction that does not run the country."
"The sages say 'he who is wise knows his place'," he added.
According to the MK, the party will eventually back the candidate it estimates has the best chance to form a stable government and the one who will "commit to preserving Israel's Jewish identity."
"It appears that Netanyahu has a better chance of establishing a stable coalition, but it does not mean anything at this point," Gafni said, adding that he was certain Livni was also committed to preserving Israel's identity as a Jewish state.
