UTJ signed an historic document this evening, in an effort to sway right wing non-Haredi voters to vote UTJ.
UTJ has been negotiating with leaders of groups of "Chardal" and Dati communities to try to get them to vote UTJ instead of Yamina, Otzma Yehudit, Noam or any other party. These leaders have been looking for an alternative, as they are not happy with Yamina because of what they consider the Dati element being swallowed up by Bennett and Shaked and being in a much weaker position, Noam and Otzma likely not passing the threshold, and no other real option.
As part of the agreement winning the support of Rav Dovid Chai Cohen, UTJ signed a document stating that UTJ does not support and is not interested in, God forbid, any withdrawal from parts of Eretz Yisrael, and will follow this policy as per the decision of the Council of Sages. (There were other details to the agreement as to what UTJ will do in order to get their support, but those aren't the focus here.)
After UTJ agreed to the conditions and signed the agreement, Rav Dovid Chai Cohen will tell his supporters to vote UTJ. Presumably, UTJ will use the agreement to turn to other right wing voters as well who might not be happy with Yamina or afraid to waste votes with Itzma and try to woo them.
sources: Behadrei, Kipa, Israel Hayom
Interestingly, UTJ did not get the Council of Sages together to come to a decision and to give instructions before signing such a monumental and significant agreement. At least, there are no reports of any such meeting or series of consultations and individual decisions and instructions to this effect. Until now, even if such policy were in place, which it was not (Rav Shach supported territorial compromise if it was felt the peace agreement would save lives), it was vague and not-explicit, at best. To turn this into official policy without a major meeting of the Council of Sages? Very strange
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