Likud Reportedly Offers Leitner a Government Project Role to Leave Election Race

Likud campaign manager Zvika Brot reportedly offered Moti Leitner, chairman of The Haredi Public, a government project role in talks about withdrawing from the October 27 election. The newly disclosed proposal would oversee hundreds of millions of shekels for state-Haredi schools and employment initiatives, conditional on Benjamin Netanyahu forming the next government. Brot and Leitner met Monday evening; both parties deny that the contemplated post is ministerial or deputy-ministerial. Leitner reportedly sought guarantees that established Haredi parties would not obstruct the arrangement. The Haredi Public denies negotiating withdrawal and says it will contest the election to the end.