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Degel HaTorah

Rabbi Dov Lando in Bnei Brak, August 21, 2025. (Sam Sokol/Times of Israel)
October 6, 2026, 1:14 am
Top Haredi rabbi denounces Israeli state, religious soldiers; opposition rebukes him, notes ties to Netanyahu
Rabbi Dov Lando, an influential figure in the United Torah Judaism party, says Zionism ‘made Arabs hate us’ and Arab rule would have been preferable to establishment of state
By Stav Levaton and ToI Staff
United Torah Judaism MKs Moshe Gafni (left) and Uri Maklev attend a National Security Committee meeting at the Knesset on February 9, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 6, 2026, 2:19 am
Veteran Haredi MK Moshe Gafni to be removed as leader of UTJ’s Degel HaTorah faction
Gafni and MK Uri Maklev won’t run in October 27 election, with rabbinical leader saying it is time to ‘refresh’ party list; shake-up said driven by internal dispute over military draft
By ToI Staff
Ultra-Orthodox men clash with police during a protest against military enlistment, Bnei Brak, August 8, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
August 19, 2026, 10:03 am
AG says government must up enforcement against draft evaders, 83% of whom are Haredim
Gali Baharav-Miara notes fewer than 10% of indictments this year targeted ultra-Orthodox evaders; Haredi faction leader: She has no authority
By Sam Sokol and ToI Staff
UTJ lawmaker Moshe Gafni, left, speaks to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset on December 31, 2024. (Knesset Spokesperson)
August 10, 2026, 6:52 am
Fresh election poll shows both blocs shy of majority; new parties fall short
Drama within pro- and anti-Netanyahu camps: Haredi leader claims he might not support PM, drawing scoff from Bennett; Yesh Atid MK leaves Knesset, but will he join Ra’am?
By ToI Staff and Sam Sokol
Rabbi Dov Lando speaks on April 26, 2026. (Courtesy)
July 20, 2026, 7:30 pm
Top Haredi rabbi says religious soldiers committing murder; Netanyahu issues rare criticism
Degel HaTorah spiritual leader suggests Israel sends soldiers to war ‘for the honor of the state,’ which ‘incites murder’; Haredi lawmakers defend his comments
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to reserve combat officers in Gush Etzion in the West Bank, June 23, 2026. (Maayan Toaf/GPO)
June 23, 2026, 9:50 pm
Haredi parties deny report of deal with Netanyahu to pass array of pre-election laws
Report claims sides agreed on Oct. 20 election date, and to pass laws to boost rights of Torah students, stop arrests of draft-evaders, constrict AG’s role, hold PM’s favored political probe of Oct. 7
By Sam Sokol
L-R, front: MKs Yitzhak Goldknopf (L), Moshe Gafni and Yinon Azulai in the Knesset, January 14, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
June 16, 2026, 7:00 pm
Haredi Knesset boycott continues, putting coalition’s legislative blitz at risk
Bills pulled from plenum agenda for second day in a row as Haredim demand return of daycare subsidies for draft evaders; we ‘will not accept any delay,’ says Degel HaTorah
By Sam Sokol
Police inspect a damaged car at the home of Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg in the West Bank settlement of Alon Shvut, after ultra-Orthodox Jews attacked the home in protest against the jailing of those who failed to comply with IDF draft orders, June 3, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
June 4, 2026, 2:48 pm
Supreme Court president: Haredi rampage at justice’s home was attack on rule of law
Amit vows court system and judges will not bow to violent intimidation; 62 suspects to face custody hearing, some said refusing to cooperate; GroPro cameras and drones seized
By Jeremy Sharon and ToI Staff
MK Moshe Gafni attends a finance committee meeting at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, April 29, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
May 27, 2026, 7:26 pm
Following draft evader arrests, Gafni calls on Haredim to halt cooperation with police
Degel HaTorah chair urges local representatives not to ‘become complicit in harming the holy Torah.’ MKs advance bill restoring daycare subsidies for the children of draft dodgers
By Sam Sokol
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and coalition whip Ofir Katz seen in the Knesset, March 29, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
May 13, 2026, 8:17 pm
Coalition files bill to dissolve Knesset, doesn’t set an election date
Netanyahu’s chief whip submits legislation to preempt opposition bill that would bring vote forward from Oct. 27 deadline, as Haredi mutiny throws government’s legislative plans into disarray
By Ariela Karmel and Sam Sokol
Degel HaTorah MKs meet with the spiritual leader of the Knesset faction, Rabbi Dov Lando, in his home in the central Israel city of Bnei Brak, May 12, 2026. (Courtesy Rabbi Dov Lando)
May 12, 2026, 9:54 pm
Haredi factions push to dissolve Knesset, increasing likelihood of slightly earlier elections
Degel HaTorah spiritual chief says it has ‘lost trust’ in PM over failure to pass army exemption bill; move would need support of Shas to succeed; opposition hopes to begin process Wednesday
By Sam Sokol and Ariela Karmel
Around 1,000 ultra-Orthodox men gather in Bnei Brak for a Passover holiday event, despite Home Front Command restrictions on gatherings during wartime, on April 5, 2026. (Daniel Nafusi)
April 6, 2026, 4:17 am
Flouting wartime restrictions, over 1,000 men gather for address by top Haredi rabbi
Spokesperson for rabbi insists gathering held in protective space in Bnei Brak; police say it refused permit for event and requested its dispersal after learning of it
By Sam Sokol
Activists protest against a bill that would give more authority to the rabbinical courts outside the Rabbinical Court of Tel Aviv, December 11, 2024. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
March 24, 2026, 3:26 am
New law lets rabbinical courts arbitrate civil disputes; opposition head says Israel now a theocracy
Yair Lapid warns that the controversial government-backed legislation, which significantly expands religious courts’ authority, means country governed by Jewish law
By Sam Sokol
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotirch and United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni attend a Knesset budget debate, December 16, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg FLASH90)
March 9, 2026, 9:09 pm
Haredi parties likely to vote for 2026 state budget despite lack of exemption law
Shas and Degel HaTorah expected to vote in favor of budget while Agudat Yisrael will oppose it. Bill regulating Haredi conscription will not pass before the Knesset recess
By Sam Sokol
Rabbi Dov Lando addresses a gathering in honor of two draft dodgers released from prison in Bnei Brak, January 4, 2026. (Shuki Lerner via Lando’s spokesman)
February 12, 2026, 1:11 pm
Top Haredi rabbi vows no yeshiva student will be drafted to IDF
Rabbi Dov Lando, spiritual leader of Degel Hatorah political faction, promises no conscription ‘whether authorities agree or not,’ denounces ‘terrible persecution’ of Torah world
By ToI Staff
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