Motty Leitner Urges Haredi Parties to Unite to Prevent Right-Wing Vote Loss

Motty Leitner, chairman of the "Haredi Public" faction, called on Shas leader Aryeh Deri and United Torah Judaism head Moshe Gafni to integrate his faction into the existing Haredi party lists. In a Channel 14 interview on Wednesday, Leitner warned that tens of thousands of Haredim currently lack political representation, leading many to vote for right-wing parties like Otzma Yehudit, Religious Zionism, and Likud, or to abstain from voting altogether. He stressed that this fragmentation risks weakening the right-wing bloc in the upcoming elections.

Leitner highlighted that while the Haredi population has more than doubled over the past two decades, their political representation has remained largely unchanged. He attributed the loss of votes to many communities feeling unrepresented, with their needs unmet by the current Haredi parties. Leitner urged Deri and Gafni to unite with his faction, emphasizing that failure to do so could result in a "catastrophe" for the right-wing camp.

Addressing the issue of Haredi conscription, Leitner advocated for significantly expanding military and civilian service tracks tailored to Haredi lifestyles. He proposed scaling up programs like the "Hasmonean Company" from hundreds to thousands of participants. Leitner clarified that his faction does not currently seek to form a new party but aims to join existing Haredi parties. However, he warned that if unity efforts fail, his faction might run independently to ensure Haredi representation in the next Knesset.

Leitner revealed that talks with Haredi party officials took place over the past year but broke down as elections approached. He announced a campaign to raise awareness of the representation gap among tens of thousands of Haredim. He also claimed his faction enjoys support from rabbis, rebbes, and grassroots activists who desire broader representation and a return to genuine public service by Haredi parties.