Netanyahu's Options Narrow as Ben-Gvir, Winter Refuse Unity Talks

With Israeli Knesset election lists due to close in a week and a half, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing increasing pressure to consolidate the right-wing bloc. Netanyahu has been attempting to reduce the number of parties on the right, but key figures, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Ofer Winter, are currently refusing to join forces with other parties.

Ben-Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, has informed Netanyahu that his decision to run independently is final and not subject to negotiation. Netanyahu had called for Ben-Gvir and Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich to unite, even suggesting a trilateral meeting, but Ben-Gvir claims no such meeting was actually coordinated with him and accused Netanyahu of a "cynical game" to pressure other parties.

Ofer Winter, who recently launched his "Amcha Israel" party, is also signaling no interest in a political merger at this time. His associates state the party aims to appeal to disillusioned right-wing voters who feel unrepresented by existing parties. Political analysts suggest Ben-Gvir's and Winter's refusals present a dual challenge for Netanyahu: Ben-Gvir could gain strength at Likud's expense, while Winter seeks to build a new political force, potentially drawing voters away from the ruling party.

Meanwhile, Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin of the Zehut party are advancing merger talks, with Feiglin potentially taking a high spot on the unified list. However, even this potential union does not fully alleviate Netanyahu's concern about too many separate lists on the right, which could lead to lost votes below the electoral threshold.

As the deadline approaches, Netanyahu's maneuvering room is shrinking. If Ben-Gvir and Winter maintain their independent stances, Netanyahu will need to find alternative solutions to prevent a significant split in the right-wing bloc, as even a single lost mandate could impact the overall bloc's strength.