UTJ declares victory despite six-seat exit polls

United Torah Judaism held its election-night event in Bnei Brak, where party leaders struck a defiant tone despite exit polls showing the party at six mandates. Speakers praised what they called the party's resilience in the face of attacks on the chareidi public and bnei Torah over the past two years.

MK Yaakov Asher declared from the stage: "The Torah won. Everyone eulogized us, attacked us and tried to do many things to us, and they did not succeed. This is a great victory for us." He added that he would not yet address coalition scenarios until the final count is in.

Outgoing Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni acknowledged that he had feared the outcome after months of what he described as incitement against the Torah world. "We heard the incitement against those who learn Torah and against chareidi education. The High Court and the Attorney General and others spoke against us. I was worried about what would happen in the election. I was afraid of the results," Gafni said. He concluded by blessing the new members entering the Knesset.

United Torah Judaism's election-night gathering in Bnei Brak (Photo: Hillel Ben Ari/Flash90)

Shlomei Emunim chairman MK Meir Porush said the campaign had been unusually difficult. "The campaign was very, very hard. They tried to harm us from every direction. Responsibility required us to go into the campaign united," he said.

Porush told the crowd that the mandate the public gave the party "obligates us to act with caution and responsibility in order to correct the terrible and great injustice that was done and is being done in recent years to those who learn Torah and to the chareidi public."