A top haredi lawmaker announced that he will not seek reelection, after more than 20 years in the Knesset. MK Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism), who has served in the Knesset since 1999, told The Knesset Channel Sunday evening that he will not run against for the Knesset. “If there’ll be new elections, I won’t run. I won’t go to the Knesset again,” Litzman said. Litzman currently heads the Agudath Yisrael party within the United Torah Judaism list, and for years headed the UTJ faction in the Knesset. He served twice as Health Minister and once as Housing and Construction Minister. During his interview with The Knesset Channel Sunday, Litzman denied his decision not to run for reelection was related to the criminal investigations against him, stemming from corruption allegations and claims he used his position as Health Minister to secure statements by experts declaring Malka Leifer, an Australian educator accused of sexually abusing dozens of girls before fleeing to Israel, unfit to stand trial or to be extradited. Instead, the 73-year-old lawmaker cited his age as the primary reason for his planned retirement from politics, saying he “needs to make room for younger forces.” Despite his plans to end his career in the Knesset, Litzman said he “still hopes” he and other Opposition lawmakers will succeed in “toppling the government.” “We’ll everything to ensure that there is a new [government].” Related articles: Yaakov Litzman resigns after 23 years in the Knesset MK Litzman discharged from hospital UTJ MK undergoes pacemaker insertion surgery Haredi MK tells party members he will resign from Knesset
