The 'Haredi Tziburi' faction issues ultimatum to ultra-Orthodox parties

Chairman of the 'Haredi Tziburi' ('Ultra-Orthodox Public') faction, Moti Leitner, is intensifying his campaign against the established ultra-Orthodox parties. On Tuesday, he sent a formal letter to Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, Degel HaTorah chairman Moshe Gafni, and Agudat Yisrael chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf, demanding clear answers regarding political representation and setting a deadline for this coming Friday.

In the letter, Leitner claims that repeated attempts to initiate a dialogue with party leaders over the past few months have been ignored.

"We did this out of a deep sense of responsibility for the fate of the ultra-Orthodox public. Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox feel that they are not receiving answers to their needs and are not receiving proper representation," he wrote.

According to Leitner, many within the community are now considering abstaining from the upcoming elections or voting for non-ultra-Orthodox parties.

Leitner sharply criticized the leadership of the ultra-Orthodox parties, claiming that instead of engaging in dialogue, their leaders chose to "respond with contempt and baseless smears." He argued that the demand for representation stems from broad public and value-based needs rather than mere political maneuvering. The issues raised in the letter include ensuring protection for yeshiva students, establishing suitable service tracks for those not studying full-time, promoting quality employment, vocational training, and securing a stable economic future for families.

At the end of the letter, Leitner issued a clear ultimatum: if no response is received by Friday, the faction's leadership will convene with community representatives, rabbis, and "Gedolei HaTorah" (Torah giants) to decide on their future course of action.

"Our desire is for unity, partnership, and true representation. However, we are determined that the ultra-Orthodox public will have representation in the next Knesset," he stated.