Netanyahu Warns Right-Wing Bloc Faces Defeat Due to Ofer Winter's Run

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Monday that the right-wing bloc risks losing power in the upcoming elections due to the political run of retired Brigadier General Ofer Winter and his new party, Amcha Yisrael. In an interview with Israeli media, Netanyahu asserted that the current political map remains deadlocked at a 60-60 split, emphasizing that the election will be decided by narrow margins.

Netanyahu launched a direct critique of Winter, revealing that both he and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had offered Winter senior positions within the Likud and joint electoral arrangements to prevent right-wing votes from going to waste, but Winter repeatedly refused. According to Netanyahu, Winter's shifting statements regarding whom he would recommend for the premiership—including remarks indicating he might consider supporting opposition figures—pose a direct threat to the right-wing coalition.

"When you vote for Ofer Winter, you are bringing down the right-wing bloc," Netanyahu stated, adding that votes cast for Winter could inadvertently bolster opposing political figures such as Avigdor Liberman and Gadi Eisenkot. Netanyahu urged right-wing voters to rally behind the Likud ballot rather than dispersing votes on fringe lists.

Ofer Winter swiftly issued a sharp rebuttal, accusing the prime minister of running a campaign based on smears, fake news, and personal attacks. Winter argued that the true challenges facing the right-wing movement stem from unresolved security issues, including the situation in Gaza, the ongoing threat from Hezbollah, and broader national security concerns rather than his nascent political party.

"The choice is between two paths: the path of negativity, defamation, and low campaigning, or the path of positivity, true right-wing values, and decisiveness," Winter declared, calling on his supporters to cast their ballots for Amcha Yisrael and defy the political pressure.