First publication: Likud pressures Litzner to withdraw from elections

Messengers affiliated with Likud approached Moti Litzner, chairman of the "Hatzibur Haharedi" party, in an attempt to convince him to remove his candidacy and withdraw from the Knesset race, amid low support in polls and fear of losing votes for the right-wing bloc.

Messengers affiliated with Likud approached Moti Litzner, chairman of the "Hatzibur Haharedi" party, on Thursday and Friday of last week, in an attempt to convince him to remove his candidacy and withdraw from the Knesset race. The approaches come amid polls in which his party receives only 0.8%, far below the electoral threshold of 3.25%. The move is part of a broader effort by Likud to reduce votes for parties that do not pass the electoral threshold, similar to approaches already made to Ofer Winter and Yaron Zelicha. Likud estimates that the two parties together cost the right-wing bloc about three seats. Alongside the approaches from Likud, it was reported that Litzner is also in contact with elements in Religious Zionism to examine withdrawal and support for Bezalel Smotrich, but his party denied this possibility.