Speaking to the weekly BaSheva newspaper, Housing Minister (Bayit Yehudi) Uri Ariel addresses the speculation that existed regarding his breaking from Bayit Yehudi to join the Ha’Am Itanu party of Eli Yishai and Yoni Chetboun.

Ariel stated that it was Maran HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita who gave Eli Yishai the green light to align with the dati leumi community during a visit in which his wife Mrs. Tzipi Yishai accompanied him, shortly before announcing his decision to break from Shas. He was given approval to run together with him.

Yishai by the way denies this being the case. Yishai tells Kikar Shabbos that in his meeting with Rav Shteinman there was no mention of teaming up with Uri Ariel. He added that he is not in the habit of disclosing his conversations with Gedolei Yisrael in the media.

Ariel, who decided not to break from Bayit Yehudi signed an agreement permitting his Tekuma faction to remain in the dati leumi party. However, in his reference to joining Yishai he admits the move “has dramatic historical potential – the joining of chareidim and dati leumi for a first time…This will have to wait however until a future date” as he has opted out of such a deal.

Echoing Yishai’s words was Benny Rabinowitz, a spokesman from Rav Shteinman. He stated there was no such discussion between Yishai and the rav.

MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Moshe Gafne adds there was no such discussion and Rav Shteinman has not given Yishai approval to run with the dati leumi camp. “Uri Ariel simply made the entire thing up” Gafne stated.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)