Netanyahu Seeks to Persuade Haredi Party Leader to Withdraw from Knesset Race
Translated & summarized from 0404 by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Moti Leitner, chairman of the "Hacharedi Public" party, to persuade him to withdraw from the Knesset race, fearing a loss of right-wing votes. Similar efforts are underway with Ofer Vinter of "Amcha Israel," though he has refused to withdraw. The moves come amid concerns about parties failing to pass the electoral threshold and potentially costing the right-wing bloc seats.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Prime Minister Netanyahu met with "Hacharedi Public" party chairman Moti Leitner to discuss his withdrawal from the Knesset race.
- Netanyahu and Smotrich presented internal polls to rabbis, warning of lost mandates for the right-wing bloc.
- Leitner was reportedly offered incentives including a joint press conference and future political influence.
- Ofer Vinter of "Amcha Israel" has refused to withdraw his candidacy despite pressure.
- Bezalel Smotrich urged Vinter to re-engage in dialogue, citing shared goals for Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Moti Leitner, chairman of the "Hacharedi Public" party, at the Likud headquarters on Tuesday, in an effort to convince him to withdraw his party from the Knesset election race. The meeting was prompted by concerns that Leitner's party might not pass the electoral threshold, potentially causing a loss of votes for the right-wing bloc. These efforts follow discussions initiated last week by Bezalel Smotrich, chairman of the Religious Zionism party, with Leitner.
Sources familiar with the matter indicated that Leitner was offered several incentives to withdraw, including a joint press conference with Netanyahu, a written agreement to safeguard his party's future political influence, and an appointment as a project manager for Haredi public affairs. Simultaneously, efforts are ongoing to persuade Ofer Vinter, chairman of "Amcha Israel," to also withdraw his candidacy. Netanyahu and Smotrich met with rabbis from the Eli pre-military academy, reportedly presenting internal polls suggesting a risk of losing mandates to the right-wing bloc.
Vinter, however, has stated he has no intention of withdrawing his candidacy. Smotrich addressed Vinter in a video message on Wednesday, warning of vote loss and urging him to re-engage in dialogue, emphasizing their shared goals for Israel's well-being and the victory of the national camp.
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