Fear of 'Trojan horses': Concern over takeover of primaries
The head of the Haredi staff in Likud, Yaakov Vider, sent an urgent letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu demanding an investigation into attempts by operatives from foreign parties to take over the primaries, amid fears of inserting 'Trojan horses'. This comes against the backdrop of unprecedented growth of Haredi power in the party, numbering about 7,000 registered members, and their growing influence on the Knesset list.
Yaakov Vider, chairman of the Likud faction in Bnei Brak and head of the Haredi staff in the movement, submitted today (Tuesday) an urgent letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding an internal investigation against factors attempting to harm the party from within. In the letter, under the title "Immediate examination and taking steps against an organized takeover attempt by hostile factors," Vider warns of an organization of operatives from foreign parties working to exploit the internal democracy in Likud ahead of the primaries, with the aim of inserting "Trojan horses" and influencing the Knesset list. The warnings come against the backdrop of unprecedented growth of Haredi power within the ruling party, which according to estimates numbers about 7,000 registered members out of about 140,000 Likud members. The article presents the map of forces: Karlin Hasidism led by Yossi Rosenboim, Seret Vizhnitz, Belz, the "Kisei Rachamim" community, and Gur Hasidism. The weight of Haredi registered members becomes critical in the primaries: an organized bloc of 3,000–7,000 registered members can dramatically influence a candidate needing about 25,000 votes. Knesset members like Amir Ohana, Ofir Katz, Miri Regev, Yariv Levin, and Hanok Milvitsky receive support in the Haredi field.