United Torah Judaism

by Rebecca Weiner

United Torah Judaism (Yahdut Hatorah - UTJ) is a coalition of two ultra-Orthodox parties, Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah, which submitted a joint list in the 1992 election, in which it won four Knesset seats. In the 1999 elections, UTJ won five Knesset seats. UTJ, led by Meir Porush, opposes negotiations with the Palestinians and the formation of a Palestinian state, and it wants to maintain a status quo relationship in regard to religion and state issues. UTJ also supports increasing settlements throughout Israel for economic, social and security reasons.

Sources: "Fragmentation of political allegiance." Le Monde diplomatique.
"Political Parties and Platforms." Chapter Two. Democracy In Action.