Likud Negotiates With Haredi Party Chairman Despite Public Statements
Translated & summarized from Kan News by baba
Despite public statements, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is continuing negotiations with Moti Leitner, chairman of 'The Haredi Public,' offering him a role in Haredi employment integration. Leitner seeks guarantees from other Haredi parties, which Netanyahu has struggled to provide. Separately, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich offered Ofer Vinter of 'Am Israel' a ministerial post to withdraw from the election, an offer Vinter's party rejected. Yosef Haddad, a candidate on Vinter's list, called the offer political bribery.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Prime Minister Netanyahu is negotiating with Haredi party chairman Moti Leitner despite Leitner's public withdrawal statements.
- Leitner seeks post-election guarantees from Shas and United Torah Judaism, which Netanyahu has not yet secured.
- Finance Minister Smotrich offered 'Am Israel' chairman Ofer Vinter a ministerial role to exit the election.
- Vinter's party rejected Smotrich's offer, with a candidate calling it "political bribery."
- Davidi Ben Zion has withdrawn from Ofer Vinter's 'Am Israel' party.
Senior officials in Israel's ruling Likud party confirmed to Kan News on Wednesday that negotiations are ongoing with Moti Leitner, chairman of the Haredi party 'The Haredi Public,' despite his public declarations that he will not withdraw from the Knesset race. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered Leitner a position as a project manager for integrating Haredim into the workforce, with authority to open state-Haredi schools. However, Leitner is demanding guarantees from the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism that they will not obstruct his appointment after the elections. Netanyahu has so far been unable to secure these assurances to Leitner's satisfaction, even offering personal commitments from himself and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, which Leitner finds insufficient. A source from the Haredi parties stated that regardless of Netanyahu's promises, they will uphold their principles in the coalition agreement.
In a separate effort to prevent the loss of votes to the right-wing bloc, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approached Ofer Vinter, chairman of the 'Am Israel' party, offering him a ministerial position from the quota the Religious Zionism party intends to demand in coalition talks, in exchange for Vinter withdrawing from the election. Vinter's party clarified that no job offer would convince him to drop out. Smotrich directly addressed Vinter, citing polls showing his party failing to pass the electoral threshold and emphasizing the importance of continued right-wing rule for Vinter's voters. Yosef Haddad, a candidate on the 'Am Israel' list, called Smotrich's offer "political bribery."
Meanwhile, Davidi Ben Zion has withdrawn from Vinter's party. The Prime Minister is reportedly pressuring smaller parties to withdraw in exchange for government positions.
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