MK Uri Maklev, a member of the Degel HaTorah faction of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) Party, was interviewed by the Kikar HaShabbat website on Wednesday, amid the tensions between Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yisrael, the two factions which make up UTJ.
Contrary to the statements made by the chairman of Degel HaTorah, MK Moshe Gafni, MK Maklev stated that Degel HaTorah would not form a government without Benjamin Netanyahu. "This is the position of all of us, it is a uniform position in this matter. Everything must be done so that we are not in the opposition. We must take advantage of all the possibilities."
On a potential partnership with Benny Gantz and Gideon Sa'ar, Maklev said, "If they are in line with our basic guidelines - there is no problem with that. They have always been partners."
Asked whether they would support Gantz as Prime Minister, he replied, "I did not say anything about being Prime Minister. I will say more than that, there is no possibility [of that happening]. All this talk is simply talk that will not come to fruition. It will not be possible to form any government without the Likud. There is no numerical possibility."
MK Maklev surprised and said that they would only go with the Likud. "There is no doubt about that, unequivocally. We are going with the Likud, that much is clear. This red line could be Gantz and Gideon Sa'ar, who know how to join our basic guidelines. I know there are parties that we cannot go with, parties that are to the left of Blue and White."
Asked whether his party will pressure the Likud to allow Gantz to be first in a rotation as Prime Minister if the right does not win 61 seats, he replied, "We will not pressure, we never apply pressure, we reach everything with understandings."