New Member of Ofer Winter’s Party Praises Left-Wing Democrats, Sparking Right-Wing Backlash

David Ben Zion, a new candidate in Ofer Winter’s 'Amcha Yisrael' party, expressed support for members of the left-wing Democratic Party led by Yair Golan during a podcast hosted by Nadav Perry. While Ben Zion criticized Golan personally, he praised other party members like Omri Ronen and Naama Lazimi, calling Ronen a man of values. This endorsement shocked many right-wing activists, who accused Ronen of leading the "Brothers in Arms" protest, which they claim encouraged IDF refusal.

Separately, another new recruit to Winter’s party, Leli Deri, faced severe criticism from right-wing supporters following remarks she made a year ago on the "Heyda" podcast regarding the formation of a state commission to investigate the events of October 7. Deri argued the commission should be appointed by President Isaac Amit and Deputy President Noam Solberg. Right-wing factions rejected this, refusing to recognize Amit as president and fearing the commission would be politically biased, focusing on politicians like Benjamin Netanyahu rather than military failures.

These controversies have intensified tensions within Winter’s party, which presents itself as firmly right-wing. Critics see Deri’s comments as evidence that Winter might form a coalition with left-wing parties, contradicting his party’s declared stance. The debate over the state commission remains a divisive issue ahead of upcoming elections, with the Attorney General recently stating that the decision on the commission’s nature should be left to the next government.