Israeli Coalition Explores Tactics to Suppress Arab, Haredi Votes Ahead of Election
Translated & summarized from Al-Shams by baba
Israeli coalition factions are reportedly discussing tactics to suppress Arab and Haredi voter turnout ahead of the Knesset elections. Proposals include challenging veiled Arab women at polling stations and using photography to allege fraud, while covert campaigns aim to reduce Haredi participation. Prime Minister Netanyahu is also trying to persuade a Haredi party leader to withdraw from the race, but the leader has refused.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli coalition factions are reportedly considering tactics to challenge veiled Arab women at polling stations.
- Proposals include directing observers to photograph restricted areas in polling stations to allege fraud.
- The "change bloc" is also working to reduce Haredi voter turnout through covert campaigns.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu is attempting to convince a Haredi party leader to withdraw from the election.
- The Haredi party leader has rejected offers and stated his intention to contest the election.
- These moves reflect intense political competition and efforts to influence voter turnout and party participation.
Israeli Channel 13 reported that elements within the governing coalition are considering measures targeting Arab women voters, particularly those wearing niqabs, and are also seeking to reduce Haredi voter turnout ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections. Influential figures close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reportedly expressed a desire to approach polling stations and ask veiled women to remove their niqabs, citing difficulties in verifying their identities. The "change bloc" fears these actions could escalate into harassment or obstruction for Arab women voters, amid ongoing coalition discussions about Arab voter participation.
The report also detailed a separate coalition proposal to direct observers to photograph areas within polling stations where photography is prohibited. The intention behind this tactic would be to use the images later to allege voter fraud. The report emphasized that these are currently proposals under discussion and no official instructions have been issued or actions taken.
Concurrently, the "change bloc" has been in contact with prominent figures in the Haredi community to launch covert campaigns aimed at lowering Haredi voter turnout. These efforts coincide with Prime Minister Netanyahu's attempts to persuade Moti Leitner, head of the Haredi Public Party, to withdraw from the electoral race 12 days before the vote. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and figures from the Religious Zionism movement are reportedly managing these negotiations.
The goal of these maneuvers is to encourage the Haredi Public Party to withdraw and redirect its supporters' votes to the coalition. However, Leitner has stated his commitment to contesting the election until the end and has rejected the offers presented to him. These developments highlight the intensifying political competition as the Knesset elections approach, with various parties attempting to influence turnout among specific demographic groups and alter the competitive landscape by persuading parties to exit the race.
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