Netanyahu directly appealed to the Haredi rabbis - and was refused | First publication

Prime Minister Netanyahu directly approached the Haredi rabbis Lando and Hirsch and a senior Shas rabbi in an attempt to prevent the Haredi parties from joining the change bloc, but was met with refusal. Meanwhile, right-wing activists are running an aggressive campaign in the Haredi street against a left-wing government.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to directly approach the Haredi rabbis Lando and Hirsch, and a senior Shas rabbi, in order to prevent the Haredi parties from joining the change bloc, but was met with refusal. The rabbis' circle made it clear that such a meeting had nothing to offer and could lead to unpleasantness. A source in the Haredi parties described the pressure from the Prime Minister's Office as 'madness'. Meanwhile, Netanyahu conveyed that he expects the Haredim to vote against a government headed by Gadi Eisenkot, and not to settle for abstention, out of a desire for new elections. Right-wing activists are running an aggressive campaign in the Haredi street against joining a 'left-wing government', including distributing flyers and planning protests. The Haredi parties are setting conditions for supporting the change bloc, including a temporary order that would stop the mandatory conscription of Haredim for at least a year.