The chareidi division in the Likud party headed by Yaakov Wider, who heads the Likud chapter in Bnei Brak, has come out backing the incumbent, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Wider announced officially that the chareidim in Likud endorse Netanyahu against others in the upcoming party primary election, scheduled to take place in two weeks.

On erev Shabbos, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu invited about 100 ministers, MKs, mayors and senior party officials to his official residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem. Wider was among the group, and he used the opportunity to announce the position of the chareidim in the party.

Likud officials estimate there are 8,000 chareidim who are registered members of the party and about 40,000 chareidim who will vote Likud in the election.

Gideon Saar, who is working hard to unseat Netanyahu, invested considerable resources to win over Wider and his chareidim camp, but his efforts were unsuccessful.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)