United Torah Judaism faces internal crisis over election boycott threats

Party chairman Yaakov Asher met with deputy Yitzhak Goldknopf today amid threats from Goldknopf's Hasidic community, Gur, to boycott upcoming elections unless demands are met. Goldknopf plans to abstain from voting on forming an Eisenkot government due to tensions with Netanyahu, while Asher seeks a united party position. Gur's second representative ranks eighth on the party list, and boycott threats suggest the party expects to retain at most seven seats despite significant natural population growth in the community. The campaign is hampered by internal divisions and low enthusiasm among grassroots supporters.