Commentator Chaim Cohen posted on Telegram that an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 Haredi Israelis lack a political home, spanning both those who want modernization and those who reject it. He said non-Haredi parties are working to attract them.
Chaim Cohen, a commentator on Israeli politics and society, posted on Telegram Wednesday afternoon that an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 Haredi voters do not feel represented by the existing ultra-Orthodox political parties. Cohen characterized this group as internally diverse — ranging from those who want English and math in Haredi schools, academic studies, and military or national service, to those who reject all modernization and any form of service beyond what already exists. He noted that both opposition and coalition non-Haredi parties are working intensively to attract these voters.
This assessment follows an earlier column by Amit Segal in Israel Hayom (published June 24) that asked whether Haredi parties are headed for an unprecedented electoral decline. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also criticized Haredi parties on Channel 14, saying they are 'still in exile' politically.
Cohen's analysis adds a numerical estimate to the ongoing discussion about Haredi political realignment. The figures he cites — sourced from unspecified estimates — are not independently verified, and no electoral survey data has been cited to support the 50,000–100,000 range. As The Zioneer reported previously (June 5), Cohen has expressed distrust in the political system but urges his followers to vote nonetheless, calling abstention equivalent to voting for the Left and Arab parties.
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