Moshe Gafni
Moshe Gafni is a veteran Israeli politician and the chairman of the Degel HaTorah party, which forms part of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) alliance. As a central figure in the Haredi political leadership, he frequently chairs the Knesset Finance Committee and serves as a primary negotiator for the interests of the Ashkenazi Haredi community, particularly regarding yeshiva funding and military draft exemptions.
Moshe Gafni is one of the most influential and experienced parliamentarians in the Knesset, representing the non-Hasidic (Litvak) Haredi community. Since entering the Knesset in 1988, Gafni has become synonymous with the defense of the 'Torah world,' focusing his legislative efforts on securing the status of yeshiva students and ensuring the financial stability of Haredi educational and social institutions. As chairman of the Degel HaTorah party and a leader within the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) faction, his political power is often concentrated in the Finance Committee, where he wields significant control over the national budget.
In the current political landscape, Gafni is a critical pillar of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition. His approach is characterized by a pragmatic but firm insistence on Haredi sectoral needs, often navigating complex negotiations with both secular coalition partners and his Sephardic Haredi counterpart, Aryeh Deri of Shas. While Gafni is primarily focused on internal religious and economic matters, he has occasionally demonstrated a willingness to engage in cross-sectoral political maneuvers, such as his reported coordination with Arab MKs on specific legislative items like the 'Muezzin Bill.'
Recently, Gafni has been at the forefront of a high-stakes coalition crisis centered on the 'Basic Law: Torah Study' and the broader issue of Haredi conscription. Amid growing public and judicial pressure regarding the equality of the service burden, Gafni has issued several ultimatums to the government, threatening to dissolve the Knesset if legislation protecting yeshiva students from the draft is not advanced. His leadership during this period reflects the intensifying tension between the Haredi community's traditional lifestyle and the security requirements of the State of Israel, particularly during times of active conflict. Beyond the draft, Gafni continues to push for economic parity for Haredi institutions, recently securing commitments for salary supplements for Haredi kindergarten teachers.