No longer black and white: Religious right-wing parties courting disappointed Haredi voters

Religious right-wing parties, led by Otzma Yehudit, are appealing to Haredi voters disappointed with Shas and United Torah Judaism. The party has placed a Haredi candidate on its list, and Ofer Winter is calling on the Haredi public to vote for him, while criticizing the veteran Haredi leadership.

Religious right-wing parties, led by Otzma Yehudit under Itamar Ben-Gvir, are reaching out to Haredi voters disappointed with Shas and United Torah Judaism. Otzma Yehudit has placed Yossi Goldberg, a Haredi candidate, on its Knesset list, identifying a trend in polls of many Haredim who do not intend to vote. Goldberg claims his party represented the Haredi sector in the last term no less than the general sector, and addresses the conscription issue by saying that those who do not study should be drafted. Avi Maoz from Noam and Ofer Winter are also courting the Haredi vote. Winter criticizes the veteran Haredi leadership, accusing it of 'sectarianism' that leaves the public as 'hewers of wood and drawers of water'. The article surveys these parties' attempts to attract Haredi votes against the backdrop of disappointment with traditional Haredi parties.