Haredi Faction Leader Sets Friday Deadline for Representation Demands to Religious Parties

Motty Leitner, head of the "Haredi Public" faction, has issued an ultimatum to senior leaders of the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties, including Aryeh Deri, Moshe Gafni, and Yitzhak Goldknopf. Leitner demands a response by Friday to his faction's call for broader representation of the Haredi community in the upcoming elections. If no agreement is reached, Leitner plans to convene community representatives, rabbis, and faction leaders for consultations on the next steps.

The ultimatum follows prolonged attempts at dialogue, which Leitner claims were ignored. He emphasizes that the demand is not merely political but reflects a widespread public and ethical call within the Haredi community for better representation and solutions to core issues. These include protecting yeshiva students, finding appropriate military service arrangements for those unable to study full-time, and ensuring economic stability through employment and vocational training.

Leitner's letter warns that many Haredim feel unrepresented and threaten to abstain from voting or support non-Haredi parties. He also expresses concern that ongoing conflicts with broader Israeli society endanger the community's future status and way of life. The letter urges the current party leaders not to prioritize power preservation over the community's needs and stresses the desire for unity and genuine partnership.

If the deadline passes without progress, Leitner and his allies will seek guidance from leading Torah authorities and decide on forming an independent political framework to advance their demands. This move comes after unsuccessful attempts to integrate new representatives into the existing party lists ahead of the elections.

The development signals potential shifts in Haredi political representation and highlights internal tensions over leadership and community priorities ahead of the next Knesset elections.