Hasidic Group Satmar Launches Campaign Against Knesset Elections

The Hasidic group Satmar launched a campaign on Thursday urging its members not to participate in the upcoming Knesset elections. This follows a tradition where the group offers a financial grant to individuals who pledge not to vote.

This year, Satmar implemented a new electronic registration system for the campaign, which has seen a significant increase in participants. The group attributes part of this rise to the recent decision to halt funding for religious schools. Satmar adheres to a principle of not accepting state funds, which has allowed thousands of students from religious seminaries to benefit from the grant.

Satmar has transferred millions of dollars to Israel for this initiative. In the coming days, a cash grant of approximately $200 will be distributed to each person who pledges not to vote in the elections. As of Thursday, around 12,000 new individuals had registered for the campaign.