Netanyahu and Smotrich Urge Election Candidate to Withdraw
Translated & summarized from 0404 by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich met with rabbis to pressure Ofer Winter, chairman of the Am Israel party, to withdraw from elections. Winter rejected the demand, vowing his party will compete. The effort, involving alumni and party officials, aims to consolidate opposition to Winter's party, which is polling near the electoral threshold.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Smotrich urged Ofer Winter to withdraw from elections.
- Ofer Winter rejected the demand and stated his Am Israel party will compete.
- The meeting included prominent rabbis and political figures from the Eli Preparatory Academy.
- Winter's party is polling near the electoral threshold, prompting the pressure.
- The move is compared to Benny Gantz's recent withdrawal from elections.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich met with prominent rabbis from the Eli Preparatory Academy, including Rabbi Eli Sadan, in an effort to persuade Ofer Winter to withdraw his candidacy from the upcoming elections. Winter, who chairs the Am Israel party, rejected the demand, criticizing the move and stating his party will compete as planned.
The meeting aimed to present a united front against Winter and included other leaders from the Eli institution, such as Rabbi Yigal Levinstein and Rabbi Yehuda Sadan. Also present were alumni of the academy holding senior political positions, including Netanyahu's Chief of Staff Ido Norden and Smotrich's Campaign Manager Omer Rahamim.
Sources within the Likud and Religious Zionism parties reportedly desire Winter, a former student of Rabbi Sadan, to withdraw his party from the race approximately one week before voting. The Am Israel party has been polling around the electoral threshold. This reported pressure mirrors a similar tactic used recently by Benny Gantz, chairman of the National Unity Party, who withdrew his party from the elections.
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