The bitter row over military service that could shape Israel's future

Moti Leitner, chairman of the Haredi Public Party, has pledged to help resolve Israel's IDF manpower shortage despite pressure from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other major haredi parties to withdraw from the upcoming Knesset election. Internal party polls indicate a growing base of support and predict between two and three seats in the Knesset.

Leitner believes many in the haredi community are seeking an alternative political home and are eager to take responsibility for both the future of their community and the nation. While his party faces challenges in accurately measuring support among haredi voters, particularly due to the reluctance of some to openly identify with the party, Leitner insists the true extent of support is far greater than public appearances suggest.

The party's stance on IDF enlistment is nuanced: while they seek to encourage haredi men to serve, they maintain that yeshiva students should remain exempt from military service. Leitner emphasized that the fundamental issue is one of values, asserting that haredim must take responsibility for their lives, the State of Israel, and participate in the country's economy and security efforts. Failure to do so, he warned, puts both haredi society and Israel at risk.