MK Eliyahu Hasid (United Torah Judaism - UTJ) is expected to tender his resignation from the Knesset on Monday in favor of the party member following him on the party’s list, former MK Eliyahu Bruchi.
Sources close to Hasid reported that he would be resigning following a decision reached by his rabbis. “In order to promote peace between Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah [the two factions that comprise UTJ], and in order to prevent disputes arising unnecessarily, MK Hasid will be resigning his Knesset seat, even though an agreement reached in a previous and similar case involved a rotation,” the sources said.
Agudat Yisrael is composed of representatives from Hassidic communities, whereas Degel HaTorah represents Lithuanian (non-Hassidic) haredim.
The issue arose following the resignation of MK Yaakov Litzman (Agudat Yisrael) as Housing & Construction Minister and his return to the Knesset (under the terms of the Norwegian Law). He thus displaced a MK from the Degel HaTorah faction, MK Eliyahu Bruchi. This upset the balance between the two factions in favor of Agudat Yisrael, which was agreed upon following the previous national elections, when it was decided that each faction would have equal representation.
Prior to the Sukkot festival, Agudat Yisrael reportedly promised Degel HaTorah representatives that Bruchi would return to the Knesset after the holiday break. With the resignation of MK Hasid, this is most likely what will now happen.