"All votes count - for free grant money." That’s the message anti-Zionist haredim are circulating around Israel through a poster with that headline. It offers Israelis who can prove after the upcoming March Knesset election that they did not vote free cash – in other words, offering to pay Israelis not to vote.
Haredim Again Offer Cash Money To Israelis Who Refuse To Vote
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
"All votes count - for free grant money." That’s the message anti-Zionist haredim are circulating around Israel through a poster with that headline, Arutz Sheva reported. It offers Israelis who can prove after the upcoming March Knesset election that they did not vote free cash – in other words, offering to pay Israelis not to vote.
"Due to the upcoming elections, it will be possible once again to receive cash payment for applicants who can prove that they have not voted in this election, by handing in ID cards etc.," the poster reportedly says, qualifying its offer to limit cash payouts only to people who voted in the last election. It also says the cash payouts will not be given to haredim whose rabbis ordered them to vote for a specific political party.
The anti-Zionist haredim believe the State of Israel is heretical and against God’s will. The poster has reportedly been linked to the Edah Haredit haredi umbrella organization based in the Jerusalem über haredi neighborhood of Mea Shearim.
The Satmar hasidic sect is also offering $100 to anyone who can prove they have not voted during the 2015 elections. Senior Satmar officials admit their intent is to stop as many Israelis as possible from voting.
"The previous government proved their intentions to recruit yeshiva students to the army and change the study arrangements of haredi institutions. It's a shame that there are still haredi parties who believe those politicians who destroy the religion,” a Satmar spokesman reportedly said.
Satmar has made similar pay-not-to-vote offers in previous elections.
While the pay-not-to-vote scheme is likely illegal, no one has ever been arrested or prosecuted for it.