Netanyahu Presses Right-Wing Candidate to Withdraw from Election
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the settlement of Eli to pressure Ofer Winter, chairman of the 'Am Israel' party, to withdraw from the Knesset elections. This follows Benny Gantz's withdrawal from the race, which has increased calls for smaller right-wing parties to do the same. Ministers Bezalel Smotrich, Shlomo Karhi, and Gideon Sa'ar have all urged parties unlikely to pass the electoral threshold to withdraw to avoid wasting votes.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Eli to pressure Ofer Winter to withdraw from the Knesset elections.
- Netanyahu is expected to meet Rabbi Eli Sadan to enlist his help in convincing Winter to withdraw.
- Benny Gantz's withdrawal from the election race has intensified pressure on other parties.
- Ministers Bezalel Smotrich, Shlomo Karhi, and Gideon Sa'ar have urged parties to withdraw to prevent wasted votes.
- Winter leads the 'Am Israel' party, which is considered unlikely to pass the electoral threshold.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the settlement of Eli in the Benjamin region on Tuesday amid mounting pressure on Ofer Winter, chairman of the 'Am Israel' party, to withdraw from the upcoming Knesset elections. Netanyahu is expected to visit the Bnei David pre-military academy and meet with its founder, Rabbi Eli Sadan, in an effort to enlist Sadan's help in persuading his student, Winter, to abandon his candidacy.
The visit comes one day after Benny Gantz, chairman of Blue and White, announced his withdrawal from the election race. Gantz's decision intensified calls from within the right-wing bloc for parties unlikely to pass the electoral threshold to follow suit.
Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's Minister of Finance and chairman of the Religious Zionism party, urged Winter and other party leaders to withdraw, stating, "The left is now organized with zero wasted votes. Unfortunately, the situation on the right is the complete opposite. Ofer Winter, and several other fragments of parties with no chance of passing the electoral threshold, are gambling with the future of the State of Israel."
Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi echoed these sentiments, urging right-wing parties to "come to their senses." Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa'ar also called on right-wing parties failing to meet the electoral threshold to withdraw, warning that "the price of wasting right-wing votes in these elections could be fatal."
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