Ben-Gvir on Haredi Parties: Election Strategy Revealed

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has made clear he will not merge his Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party with any of the recently established haredi political movements ahead of Israel's next elections.

Speaking in an interview with Kikar Hashabat, Ben-Gvir specifically addressed two new haredi parties,"Achi" led by Rabbi Avradjel and "HaTzibur HaHaredi" (The Haredi Public) led by Leitner from Beit Shemesh, stating that Otzma Yehudit would continue running independently.

"Right now (and not just right now, I see this all the time) for four years Otzma Yehudit has run alone and the results are good and the results are beautiful, and I think you don't change a winning horse," Ben-Gvir explained. He emphasized that his party has built its own identity: "I respect everyone, I truly respect everyone, but at the end of the day Otzma Yehudit is a brand. Otzma Yehudit is something that speaks to all of Israel, people feel how much I care."

Ben-Gvir was careful to clarify that he does not intend to undermine the established haredi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, which represent the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel's parliament. "I certainly don't want to poke a finger in the eye of the haredi parties, let that be clear!" he said.

However, he made a direct appeal to haredi voters who may be dissatisfied with their traditional political representatives: "I am saying explicitly: whoever doesn't vote for the haredi parties, should vote for me."

The minister acknowledged that some segments of the haredi community are experiencing frustration with their longtime political leadership. "There is today a certain disappointment in various places in the haredi public. Those who won't vote for haredi parties, let them come to me, so they don't go and waste votes," he said, positioning Otzma Yehudit as an alternative for disaffected haredi voters.

At the same time, Ben-Gvir stressed he was not trying to poach committed haredi party voters. "On the other hand, whoever votes for the haredi parties, should vote for the haredi parties," he said. "There are sometimes disagreements, also with Aryeh [Deri, Shas leader], certainly with [Moshe] Gafni [of United Torah Judaism], also with various others. But at the end of the day, whoever votes for the haredi parties should vote for them, whoever doesn't, should come to Otzma Yehudit."