Ofer Winter's Party Sweeps Local Vote in Mitzpe Netofa Amid Major Shift
Ofer Winter's Amcha Yisrael party secured a landslide victory in Mitzpe Netofa during the general elections, capturing 47.3 percent of the local vote and outpacing Religious Zionism and Likud.
The recent general elections delivered a striking local upset in the Lower Galilee community of Mitzpe Netofa, where residents rallied overwhelmingly behind local resident Ofer Winter and his newly formed Amcha Yisrael party.
With approximately 75 percent of the ballots counted in the communal settlement, Winter's faction secured a commanding first-place finish with an impressive 47.3 percent of the vote, translating to 255 ballots. This landslide result left traditional right-wing heavyweights far behind in the local tally.
According to the official figures, Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism list finished a distant second with 19.67 percent, or 106 votes. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud party slipped to third place, garnering just 7.79 percent of the local vote with 42 ballots.
A Dramatic Shift in Local Voting Patterns
A comparison with the previous Knesset elections underscores the scale of the political realignment within the community. In the preceding vote, the joint Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit slate led Mitzpe Netofa with 39.46 percent (191 votes), followed by Ayelet Shaked's Jewish Home with 19.63 percent, Benny Gantz's National Unity with 16.94 percent, and Likud with 11.57 percent.
Winter's entry into the national legislative race completely upended the traditional voting dynamics in his home settlement. Voters who previously divided their support across various right-wing and centrist factions united decisively behind their neighbor, delivering a resounding local endorsement of his candidacy.
