Moshe Gafni
Moshe GafniYonatan Sindel/Flash90

Haredi MK Moshe Gafni, a member of the United Torah Judaism's Degel Hatorah faction, told Maariv that his party "will need to make decisions" if the Likud-led bloc does not win 61 Knesset seats in the November elections.

In the interview, which will be published Friday in Maariv's weekend paper, Gafni explained, "If the bloc does not receive 61 Knesset seats, we will gather and make decisions. But I don't believe that will happen. We are going with the right-wing bloc. To make it clearer: We will go with the Right and with [former Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu."

In Gafni's opinion, a maritime agreement with Lebanon is necessary, but requires much caution.

"I agree that we need to reach an agreement with Lebanon on the issue of gas, and we need to continue the dialogue with them, but I don't trust the current government," he explained. "I do not trust the carelessness of [Prime Minister Yair] Lapid. In an agreement there are benefits, but there are also risks."

"This government can bring recommendations from professionals as much as it wants, but they are also subject to the whims of the commander. An agreement needs a lot of caution and attention, and a lot of help from Heaven - but this government has no help from Heaven."

When asked if he could pinpoint specific details of the agreement which he finds problematic, Gafni said, "There are no specific points that I can mention. I am not willing to rely on anyone other than our Father in Heaven. When the agreement reaches the Knesset, I will examine it in great detail and then I will decide whether to support it."

In fact, the agreement is not likely to be brought to the Knesset for a vote. Instead, it will be presented to the Knesset as a done deal.

Regarding the taxes levied on disposable dishes and sweetened drinks, Gafni said, "When we are part of the next government, I will make every effort to cancel the tax decrees. Even before this tax, we needed to deal with the air pollution in the Haifa Bay, because there it really endangers lives. But the members of the current coalition don't deal with the tycoons, only with the haredim."

About public transportation on Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath), he told Maariv, "[Transportation] Minister Merav Michaeli (Labor) violated the law when she attempted to operate the bus line in Haifa on Shabbat, in violation of the status quo. The Transportation Minister does what is convenient for herself, because it does her good in the elections."

"I hope that this government will quickly be replaced and that Michaeli will not be a minister, so that all this talk will be unnecessary. I don't want to hear any more of her nonsense. Who does she represent, even? We need to hold a real discussion about the character of the State and about Shabbat observance, and that is not something you do three weeks before elections," Gafni concluded.