Haredi Voters Disrupt Likud Primary Polling in Elad Over Candidate Photos

A disturbance occurred at the Likud primary polling station in Elad on Monday when Haredi residents covered and defaced photos of female candidates displayed at the site. The incident unfolded as hundreds of Haredi party members arrived to vote in the internal elections for the Likud party list for the Knesset. During the event, the Haredi voters shouted at those present and demanded that Likud activists leave the polling station citing "modesty reasons." The main conflict centered on the images of female candidates, which were obscured during the voting process.

This high turnout of Haredi voters reflects the growing involvement of ultra-Orthodox communities in Likud's internal elections. Estimates place the number of Haredi Likud members at around 7,000 out of approximately 140,000 total party members. Although this represents about five percent of the electorate, the organized voting bloc could significantly influence the primary results, where candidates often need several thousand votes to secure a realistic position on the party list.

Among the Haredi groups participating were members from the Sanz-Vizhnitz, Gur, Karlin, and Belz Hasidic sects, as well as the "Kisei Rahamim" community and affiliates of ZAKA and United Hatzalah organizations. Groups connected to the Shlomi Amunim movement also took part in the voting. The event highlights the increasing political engagement of Haredi voters within the Likud party and the potential impact of their collective voting power in shaping the party's candidate list.