Netanyahu Considers Offering Top Likud Spots to Ofer Winter

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly considering a significant offer to former Brigadier General Ofer Winter, chairman of the "Am Yisrael Hai" party, to join the Likud list for the upcoming elections. The proposed deal involves securing at least three reserved spots on the Likud slate for Winter, prominent activist Yosef Haddad, and journalist Netali Shacham-Tov.

The move is seen as a strategic effort by Netanyahu to consolidate the right-wing bloc and prevent the loss of votes to smaller parties. By bringing Winter and his supporters into the Likud fold, Netanyahu aims to strengthen the party's electoral prospects.

Netanyahu had previously considered placing Shacham-Tov on the Likud list independently. Her inclusion as part of the potential deal with Winter allows Netanyahu to achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, including fulfilling a need for increased female representation within the party. Shacham-Tov is expected to fill one of the required slots for women on the list.

The offer of three reserved seats is intended to dissuade Winter from running independently, a scenario that Likud strategists fear could siphon crucial votes away from the right-wing camp.