In an attempt to prevent vote-wasting: Netanyahu's appeal to the spiritual patron of Avi Maoz - and the refusal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to pressure small parties to withdraw from the 2026 election race. His office tried to arrange a meeting with Rabbi Zvi Tau, the spiritual patron of the Noam party, but was refused. Meanwhile, pressure is being applied to the 'Haredi Public' party led by Moti Leiter.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been working in recent days to pressure small parties that could waste votes for the coalition bloc, aiming to get them to withdraw from the 2026 election race. As part of these efforts, Netanyahu's office reached out to arrange a meeting with Rabbi Zvi Tau, president of the Har Hamor yeshiva and the spiritual patron of the Noam party of MK Avi Maoz. The request was refused. Sources close to Rabbi Tau said that the meeting's purpose, insofar as it was intended to bring about a withdrawal, is not on the agenda, and that the rabbi believes the party should run to the end to fight for preserving Jewish identity. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's people together with Bezalel Smotrich's people are pressuring small Haredi parties, especially the 'Haredi Public' party led by Moti Leiter, which according to polls could waste a full mandate. The pressures add to concerns in Netanyahu's bloc about suppressed voting in the Haredi sector due to disappointment with United Torah Judaism and Shas over the conscription issue.