Smotrich Offers Cabinet Post to Winter to Quit Knesset Race
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS by baba
Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich offered a ministerial post to Ofer Winter in exchange for Winter withdrawing his Knesset candidacy. Smotrich also proposed granting Winter authority over Gaza emigration and Haredi integration initiatives. Winter rejected the offer, vowing to continue his campaign, while sources in his party dismissed the proposal as "job politics." Other politicians, including Itamar Ben-Gvir, have also called for Winter to withdraw based on poll numbers.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Bezalel Smotrich offered Ofer Winter a ministerial role to withdraw from Knesset elections.
- Smotrich proposed Winter lead Gaza emigration and Haredi integration initiatives.
- Ofer Winter rejected the offer, stating he will "run until the end."
- Winter's party dismissed the offer as "job politics" and not their goal.
- Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Winter to withdraw, citing poor poll numbers.
Bezalel Smotrich, chairman of the Religious Zionism party, announced Wednesday that he is prepared to relinquish his party's allocated ministerial position in the Defense Ministry to Ofer Winter. This offer is contingent on Winter withdrawing his candidacy from the upcoming Knesset elections. Smotrich also proposed granting Winter full authority to establish an "emigration administration" for Gaza and a separate administration for recruiting and integrating Haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews) into the workforce.
Smotrich appealed to Winter, calling him a "good man, a values-driven leader, and a brave commander with many merits," and warned against splitting the right-wing bloc, citing the 1992 elections and the subsequent Oslo Accords as a cautionary tale. He emphasized that "voices that will burn below the electoral threshold will make the difference between victory and defeat." Winter, however, stated his intention to "run until the end," asserting that the national camp cannot afford to repeat past mistakes and must not waste any votes.
Sources within Winter's party, Am Israel, rejected Smotrich's offer, stating they are not in politics for "chairs" and that the public is tired of "job politics." They added that if they were satisfied with the right-wing camp's direction, they would have joined existing parties. Meanwhile, Itamar Ben-Gvir, chairman of Otzma Yehudit, urged Winter to withdraw, citing polls that suggest his party will not pass the electoral threshold and questioning his political alignment.
Winter himself addressed the recent political developments and poll results in an interview with i24NEWS, acknowledging that he did not anticipate the campaign against him. He stated, "I do not surrender. I will not say that trucks will not enter Gaza and then let you in, when I say something, I mean it." He also commented on a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Smotrich with Rabbi Eli Saban, asserting, "It doesn't work on me. I am an ideological person driven by mission and humility. We will run until the end and we will be the election promise."
Mentioned
