A new disagreement has emerged within Agudas Yisroel ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections, as the Gerrer Rebbe, Harav Yaakov Aryeh Alter, has reportedly declined to add his personal signature to the traditional election proclamation issued by the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

According to reports published Thursday evening, October 22, the Rebbe had not agreed to sign the proclamation calling on the Chareidi public to support United Torah Judaism, despite ongoing efforts to secure the signatures of the Admorim serving on the Moetzes.

The development was first reported by journalist Ari Kalman of i24NEWS and subsequently covered by several Chareidi news outlets.

The proclamation, traditionally published in Chareidi newspapers on the Friday preceding elections, carries the names and signatures of members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisroel.

In an effort to resolve the disagreement, representatives of Ger reportedly proposed publishing the proclamation under the collective name of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, without listing the individual names and signatures of the participating Admorim.

Such an arrangement would allow the proclamation to appear in the name of the Moetzes as a body without requiring the Gerrer Rebbe's personal signature.

The matter remained unresolved despite a visit Wednesday evening by United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher to the Rebbe's residence. According to the reports, the meeting did not result in an agreement regarding the signature.

The disagreement comes amid continuing tensions within Agudas Yisroel over internal political arrangements and the broader dispute surrounding the status of yeshiva bochurim and military enlistment legislation.

Earlier this week, a separate announcement published in Hamodia in the Gerrer Rebbe's name instructed Ger Chassidim to vote for United Torah Judaism. The current dispute therefore concerns his personal signature on the collective Moetzes proclamation, rather than a withdrawal of that earlier instruction.

Negotiations were reportedly continuing Thursday evening, with midnight identified as the deadline for finalizing the proclamation before the Friday newspapers went to print.

As of the latest reports, it remained unclear whether an agreement would be reached or whether the Gerrer Rebbe's signature would appear alongside those of the other members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.