Netanyahu Urges Smotrich and Ben Gvir to Unite Ahead of Elections, Excludes Winter

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich and Otzma Yehudit head Itamar Ben Gvir to unite ahead of the upcoming elections, emphasizing that unity is crucial for right-wing success. Netanyahu announced plans to invite both politicians for a meeting in the coming days to facilitate their cooperation. He warned that past divisions, such as in the 1992 elections when the right-wing vote was split among three parties and failed to pass the electoral threshold, led to disastrous outcomes including the Oslo Accords and the rise of Hamas.

Notably absent from Netanyahu's call for unity was retired Brigadier General Ofer Winter, who recently launched a new party called "Amcha Yisrael" aiming to compete for right-wing votes. Netanyahu’s focus on uniting Smotrich and Ben Gvir, without including Winter, suggests a strategic calculation that Winter may have better chances of crossing the electoral threshold independently, while Smotrich risks falling below it. Political analysts interpret Netanyahu’s message as an attempt to prevent vote splitting specifically between Smotrich and Ben Gvir.

In response to Netanyahu’s appeal, Ben Gvir launched an unprecedented attack against the prime minister, accusing him of wanting a small Otzma Yehudit to align with former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot. Meanwhile, Winter publicly declared his support for Netanyahu as prime minister but stressed his party’s independence and outlined commitments such as integrating ultra-Orthodox soldiers into the IDF and promoting voluntary migration from Gaza.

Netanyahu’s intervention highlights the internal tensions within the right-wing camp as the election approaches, with efforts focused on consolidating votes to avoid repeating past failures. Further statements from Netanyahu regarding Winter are expected later.

Summary: Prime Minister Netanyahu urged Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir to unite to avoid splitting right-wing votes ahead of elections, excluding Ofer Winter from his call. Netanyahu plans to meet with Smotrich and Ben Gvir to promote cooperation, warning of past electoral failures caused by division. Winter, who recently launched a new party, declared support for Netanyahu but maintains independence, while Ben Gvir criticized Netanyahu sharply.