Otzma Yehudit Leader Accuses Netanyahu of Trying to Eliminate His Party

Ofer Vinter, leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, has launched a sharp attack against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of attempting to eliminate his party and endanger the right-wing bloc. In a special interview broadcast Saturday evening, Vinter stated that if more effort had been invested in eliminating Hamas, he might not have felt the need to enter politics. Vinter also claimed that private investigators had been sent after him, a charge the Likud party reportedly threatened to sue over.

Vinter expressed confidence that his party would not withdraw from the political arena, even if polls predict only four seats, vowing to continue fighting. He also addressed the issue of conscription and the partnership with ultra-Orthodox parties, drawing a clear line regarding United Torah Judaism leader Yitzhak Goldknopf, whom Vinter declared "not a Zionist" and stated he did not want as the "61st finger" in the Knesset, referring to the number of votes needed for a majority.

Regarding the rising crime in Judea and Samaria, Vinter described it as a symptom of a broader lack of governance, warning that the current approach could lead to another October 7th-style event. He emphasized that Israel's priorities should be addressing protection rackets and illegal weaponry.