Rav Moshe Maya denies approving Eisenkot coalition talks

The elder of Shas's Council of Torah Sages, HaGaon Rav Moshe Maya shlita, forcefully denied on Sunday night the rumors circulating in recent days that he had approved or addressed coalition negotiations with MK Gadi Eisenkot. In a conversation with family members, the elder of the Council made clear that the reports are completely false and never happened.

"No one spoke to me a word about Gadi Eisenkot," Rav Maya told his family. "I have not spoken with any party about the government since the results were published on Tuesday. They invent things in my name and publish lies ... I am careful about who writes things in my name. This is a gross lie. There has never been such a thing as inventing lies in my name."

Rav Maya's emphatic clarification comes against the backdrop of a wave of speculation and rumors in the political system in the days following the elections. As reported by Kikar Hashabat, Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot has instructed his team to examine the possibility of forming a minority government under his leadership, which would be based on abstention by United Torah Judaism and partial support from Ra'am.

At the same time, an official statement was issued on behalf of United Torah Judaism chairman: "We clarify: any publication attributed to us and not officially issued on our behalf is denied in advance," the statement read. "We will not bother to deny each publication individually and will not establish a denial center for every false report."

The leadership of United Torah Judaism is preparing for consultations with the President that will take place on Wednesday. Degel Hatorah chairman Yaakov Asher met last night in Bnei Brak with MKs Yitzchak Goldknopf and Meir Porush, in an attempt to formulate a joint position. According to the report, one of the options being examined is not to recommend any candidate to the President.

Agudat Yisrael chairman MK Yitzchak Goldknopf told Kikar Hashabat: "We are not in anyone's bloc; we demand a draft law without sanctions." Porush also clarified that "Gadi Eisenkot will not call us."

The main obstacles to forming a government remain in place. Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, made clear that he is firmly opposed to a government leaning on chareidim or Arab parties, "not directly and not indirectly." In addition, the issue of the draft law remains a central point of contention, as Agudat Yisrael chairman MK Yitzchak Goldknopf clarified over the weekend in closed conversations that the faction does not intend to back down from its demands.