Party Leader Ofer Winter Attacked During Visit to Bnei Brak

Ofer Winter, chairman of the "Am Yisrael" party, visited Bnei Brak on Tuesday evening to discuss the issue of military conscription with young people, following a recent decline in his party's poll numbers. Winter stated that for twenty years, politicians have argued about drafting Haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews) without success, causing Israel to lose. He proposed a "Serving Law" where those who serve will receive more benefits, and those who do not will have their status regulated and receive nothing. Winter claimed he had previously facilitated the enlistment of Haredim into the IDF by opening special platoons that attracted hundreds, an achievement he contrasted with others who merely criticize from the sidelines.

During his visit, Winter was filmed engaging in an arm-wrestling match with a young man amidst cheers from the crowd. However, his visit was met with sharp opposition from a demonstrator associated with the "Jerusalem Faction," a hardline Haredi group. The demonstrator approached Winter shouting, "No Haredi will go to the army... Get out of Bnei Brak!" and accused Winter of harming the Haredi public. Police intervened to separate them, while Winter responded by questioning the demonstrator's presence and urging him to study Torah instead of protesting, warning against the "cancellation of Torah study."