No negotiations: Netanyahu asked him to withdraw - he hung up the phone

Moti Leitner, chairman of the 'Hatzibur Haharedi' party, refuses to withdraw from the election race despite heavy pressure. Netanyahu met with him at night and offered a project coordinator role with a budget of hundreds of millions of shekels, but Leitner hung up the phone and declared his decision final. Yair Netanyahu attacked him on X.

Moti Leitner, chairman of the 'Hatzibur Haharedi' party, refuses to withdraw from the election race despite heavy pressure from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to party sources, Leitner hung up the phone and is unwilling to engage in further negotiations. Netanyahu met with him at night in Petah Tikva and offered him a role as project coordinator for Haredi public affairs, with responsibility for budgets totaling hundreds of millions of shekels to promote Haredi employment and establish state-Haredi educational institutions. Likud campaign manager Tzvi Barot also met with Leitner in an attempt to persuade him to withdraw. Leitner convened a press conference where he clarified that his decision is final. In response, Yair Netanyahu, the Prime Minister's son, attacked Leitner on X, writing: 'Shame on you! You are knowingly leading to a left-wing government.' Likud fears that the candidacy of small right-wing lists will cause a loss of votes for the Netanyahu bloc.