United Torah Judaism

Positions for the 2026 election

United Torah Judaism

United Torah Judaism is the joint political framework of the Hasidic Agudat Yisrael and the Lithuanian-Haredi Degel HaTorah. It seeks to preserve Haredi educational and communal autonomy, support Torah institutions and Haredi families, and maintain Israel’s existing religious arrangements.

A documented position on 24 of 30 statements

Democracy and governance

A state commission of inquiry into the events of October 7 should be established under the Commissions of Inquiry Law, with its members appointed by the President of the Supreme Court.

Disagree* Internal debatePartial evidence

United Torah Judaism's current line is against the statement: in December 2025 five faction members voted against a commission using the mechanism in the statement. Yaakov Tessler's later vote in favour and Moshe Gafni's tactical threats show that the issue also served as coalition leverage, so the majority position is shown alongside a material internal disagreement.

The scope of the Supreme Court's judicial review of government and Knesset decisions should be reduced.

AgreeStrong evidence

Moshe Gafni demanded that the Supreme Court be weaker and made an override clause a coalition condition; Yitzhak Goldknopf presented a parallel demand. These are direct positions from the heads of both UTJ components in favor of curtailing the power to invalidate laws.

The Prime Minister should be limited to two consecutive terms in office.

DisagreeStrong evidence

In a roll-call vote on limiting the prime minister's tenure to two consecutive terms, six UTJ members voted against, including representatives of Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah. Representatives of both components voted the same way on the exact mechanism, providing clear support for the conclusion.

Dedicated coalition funds that are not allocated according to equitable criteria should be abolished and transferred to regular ministry budgets, even if doing so would affect existing coalition agreements.

DisagreeStrong evidence

United Torah Judaism embedded earmarked allocations in its coalition agreement and continued to rely on them in the 2026 budget. In late July, the Finance Committee discussions included additional funding for Agudat Yisrael's Independent Education network and other Haredi institutions. This is current implementation of that policy, in the opposite direction from abolishing the allocations even at the cost of undermining the agreement.

Security, diplomacy and the conflict

Israel should promote a regional-international framework for the civil administration and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the war, provided that Hamas does not control it.

No clear public position found

No concrete model for a regional–international framework to administer and rebuild Gaza without Hamas was found in a UTJ platform, leadership interview, or parliamentary action. General security positions are insufficient to establish a position.

Even after a civil administration is established in the Gaza Strip, Israel should retain long-term security control of Gaza's borders and freedom of military action within it.

No clear public position found

No UTJ or party-leadership source was found that establishes whether Israel should maintain long-term control over Gaza's borders and freedom of action within it after a civilian administration is established. General support for the government or the war does not answer this question.

Israel should promote a regional diplomatic initiative that also includes a pathway to a Palestinian state.

DisagreePartial evidence

UTJ supported the Knesset resolution opposing a Palestinian state even as part of an agreement. No current platform or renewed statement from the party's leaders was found ahead of this election.

Israeli sovereignty should be applied to Area C in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank).

No clear public position found

UTJ did not provide a position in advance in a survey of the parliamentary groups and said it would consult its rabbis when the bill came up. A later report anticipated that it would abstain. Votes by individual MKs on a nonbinding declaration do not establish the entire parliamentary group's position on all of Area C.

Women should be integrated more broadly into all combat and command roles in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), subject to uniform professional criteria.

DisagreePartial evidence

UTJ officially answered that it opposes women serving in the IDF, a broader position than opposition to expanding combat roles. The answer was given in 2021 and no later party update was found.

Israeli civilian settlement in the Gaza Strip should be renewed.

AgreePartial evidence

UTJ chair Yitzhak Goldknopf was photographed with a map of settlement nuclei in Gaza and said that Jewish settlement was the answer to the massacre. There is nevertheless no decision by the full parliamentary group.

The death penalty should be imposed on anyone convicted of murder committed as part of an act of terrorism.

DisagreeStrong evidence

UTJ voted against the law in its third reading even though it was part of the coalition. The vote outside coalition discipline strengthens attribution of the position.

Shared service and burden

Significant personal and financial sanctions should be imposed on people legally required to enlist who fail to report without a lawful exemption, including yeshiva students.

DisagreeStrong evidence

UTJ supported the law freezing the arrest of people liable for conscription and is working to eliminate individual and financial enforcement against yeshiva students.

Religion, state and civic identity

Civil marriage should be available in Israel alongside religious marriage for those who choose it.

DisagreeStrong evidence

Representatives of Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah publicly opposed a civil-marriage proposal, so the evidence covers both UTJ components.

Public transport on Shabbat should be permitted in local authorities that choose to provide it.

DisagreePartial evidence

UTJ opposed operating public transport on Shabbat and changing the status quo. The direct source dates from 2021.

Funding for educational institutions should be conditional on teaching a minimum core curriculum.

DisagreeStrong evidence

UTJ is working to preserve funding for the Independent Education System and exempt institutions without conditioning it on teaching the full core curriculum. The budget fight is documented and current.

The right to equality and the prohibition of discrimination should be explicitly entrenched in a Basic Law.

DisagreePartial evidence

UTJ MK Yitzhak Pindrus opposed proposals in the Constitution Committee to enshrine equality in a Basic Law. The source is not current.

An Arab party that accepts the government's basic policy guidelines should be permitted to join the coalition.

No clear public position found

No current, direct source was found in which UTJ establishes a position on whether an Arab party that accepts the governing principles is eligible to join a coalition.

Economy, welfare and cost of living

The tax burden on high-income earners should be increased to fund expanded social services.

AgreePartial evidence

UTJ supported increasing the tax on high earners and imposing a wealth tax on very large fortunes, alongside tax cuts for the middle class. The source is old and has not been renewed in a current plan.

The basket of price-controlled food products should be expanded, even if this reduces the profitability of producers and retail chains.

AgreePartial evidence

UTJ members, including Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev, have long promoted expanding price controls on basic foods and baby products. The evidence is precise, but it is not a current platform of the full parliamentary group.

Tariffs on imported agricultural food products should be reduced, even if this harms some farmers and domestic producers.

No clear public position found

No party source was found that establishes a position on reducing tariffs on agricultural food even at the cost of harming local farmers.

Eligibility for daycare subsidies should not be determined solely by the mother's employment; whether the father works, studies, or serves should also be considered.

DisagreeStrong evidence

Ya'akov Asher and Moshe Gafni initiated the eligibility test based solely on the mother's employment, and all seven UTJ members voted for it.

The VAT-exemption threshold for personal imports should be raised from $75 to $130, even if this harms local shops and businesses that compete with overseas sellers.

Disagree* Internal debateStrong evidence

The current position is against the statement based on a four-to-one roll call. Yitzhak Pindrus's support for the increase remains visible as internal dissent, but it does not cancel the faction majority.

Rights, enforcement and internal security

In exceptional cases and subject to judicial review, administrative detention should be permitted for Jewish citizens suspected of planning nationalist violence against Palestinians or the security forces, even when there is insufficient evidence for immediate criminal proceedings.

DisagreePartial evidence

Yitzhak Goldknopf, leader of the Agudat Yisrael component, welcomed the end of administrative detention against Jews and argued that the tool should be retained for combating Palestinian terrorism. This is direct evidence, but it does not separately cover Degel HaTorah.

The Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law should be eased so that Palestinian spouses of Israeli citizens can obtain status after an individual security screening, instead of being subject to a blanket ban.

DisagreeStrong evidence

UTJ members, including Ya'akov Asher, were among those advancing the merged text and supported the restrictive law.

Conversion therapy for minors should be prohibited by law.

DisagreePartial evidence

UTJ was part of the coalition that defeated the prohibition bill in January 2026. No complete roll-call result is available.

In combating crime in Arab society, a multi-year government-led civilian program that strengthens local authorities should be preferred over relying mainly on the Shin Bet and emergency powers.

No clear public position found

No UTJ source was found that establishes a position on the precise structure proposed in the thesis for combating crime in Arab society.

Transport and infrastructure

Last updated: 2026-08-26