A small chareidi protest party seeking to draw votes away from United Torah Judaism has reportedly secured approximately 2.5 million shekels in campaign funding and assembled a network of roughly 500 activists ahead of Israel’s October 27 elections, raising concerns within UTJ over the potential loss of votes from dissatisfied chareidi voters.

The party, known as Tzeva Shachor, or Black Color, is concentrating its efforts on Election Day itself, when it plans to mobilize supporters and encourage voters opposed to UTJ’s handling of the military draft controversy to cast protest ballots.

According to sources, the party’s organizational preparations are already well underway, with most of its approximately 500 registered activists based in Modiin Illit.

The activists have reportedly completed their operational plans for Election Day, with an emphasis on identifying potential supporters and ensuring that they actually arrive at polling stations.

The party’s principal target audience consists of yeshiva bochurim and other chareidi men classified by Israeli authorities as military draft evaders, whose status has become a central issue in the ongoing confrontation over compulsory military service.

Organizers intend to encourage as many of these individuals as possible to vote for Tzeva Shachor, while also attempting to persuade their family members to support the party.

The effort is designed to channel dissatisfaction with United Torah Judaism into a direct electoral challenge, potentially depriving the established chareidi party of votes it would otherwise expect to receive.

The financial resources reportedly available to Tzeva Shachor are particularly notable given the party’s relatively limited public profile.

Emess reported that approximately 2.5 million shekels, equivalent to roughly $800,000, has been secured for the campaign, with the overwhelming majority of that money earmarked for Election Day operations rather than conventional campaigning in the weeks beforehand.

The party’s chairman, Chaim Yankel Miller, was also questioned about speculation that the Satmar chassidus was providing financial backing for the initiative.

Miller denied having received any money from Satmar thus far, although he made clear that he would welcome such assistance.

“I would be very happy to receive money from them. So far, they have not given me any. What I have raised until now has come from other donations to the party,” Miller said.

The party’s campaign comes amid growing tensions within segments of the chareidi community over the military draft issue and the response of established chareidi political representatives.

Although Tzeva Shachor faces a substantial challenge in securing enough votes to cross the Knesset’s electoral threshold, its organizers are focusing on the possibility of drawing protest votes away from United Torah Judaism.

With approximately two weeks remaining until the election, the party is directing its financial and organizational resources toward a concentrated Election Day effort, relying on its activist network to translate opposition to UTJ into votes at the ballot box.

{Matzav.com}