Bereaved Mother Responds to Netanyahu, Vows to Stay in Election Race
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Bereaved mother Lali Darai responded sharply to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call for Ofer Vinter to withdraw from the election race. Darai, whose son was killed in the war, stated she is committed to Vinter's party and is "not going anywhere." Netanyahu had shared a letter from other bereaved families urging Vinter to withdraw to ensure a right-wing victory. The election is scheduled for six days from the article's publication.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Bereaved mother Lali Darai rejected Prime Minister Netanyahu's call for Ofer Vinter to withdraw from elections.
- Darai stated she is "not going anywhere" and is committed to Vinter's "Am Yisrael" party.
- Netanyahu publicly urged Vinter to withdraw, citing a letter from other bereaved families.
- The families warned Vinter's candidacy could cost the right-wing bloc crucial votes.
- Darai defined "victory" as defeating Hamas, integrating the ultra-Orthodox into the IDF, and ending national division.
Lali Darai, a bereaved mother and candidate for the "Am Yisrael" party led by Ofer Vinter, issued a sharp response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. Netanyahu had shared a letter from dozens of bereaved families urging Vinter to withdraw from the Knesset race, warning that his party might not pass the electoral threshold and could cost the right-wing bloc crucial votes.
Darai, whose son Saadia was killed in the war, directly addressed Netanyahu, stating that not all bereaved families think alike and that no one should speak for them. While she respects the families who signed the letter, she emphasized her own perspective on "victory." "After losing my son Saadia, I am here for there to be a real victory: full decision in Gaza, real integration of the ultra-Orthodox in the IDF, and an end to the division in the people of Israel," she wrote.
Netanyahu had publicly amplified the families' call, posting on X (formerly Twitter) and directly appealing to Vinter: "Ofer Vinter, listen to the bereaved families, show responsibility and withdraw for the sake of the right-wing victory!" This move intensified pressure on Vinter to exit the race just days before the election.
Darai concluded her statement with a firm declaration: "This is why I am here, and I am not going anywhere," signaling her determination to continue her candidacy with Vinter's party despite the mounting pressure. The article notes that this confrontation occurs six days before the 26th Knesset elections, amidst broader efforts by Netanyahu and other senior right-wing figures to persuade Vinter to withdraw his party from the running.
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