Ofer Winter Vows to Stay in Politics, Rejects 'Job' Offers
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Ofer Winter, chairman of the 'Am Israel' party, has rejected pressure to withdraw his candidacy, vowing to remain in the political race. He stated his party is right-wing but will only cooperate under strict conditions, aiming for fundamental change rather than personal gain. Winter criticized political opponents, particularly Bezalel Smotrich, and appealed to voters to support his party to enable a decisive right-wing government focused on serving soldiers and national interests.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Ofer Winter declared he will not withdraw his candidacy from the political race.
- Winter stated his party aims for fundamental change, not personal 'jobs' or positions.
- He outlined strict conditions for cooperation, including legislation for soldiers' status.
- Winter criticized Bezalel Smotrich's past and present offers of political positions.
- He vowed to remain in the right-wing camp and ruled out alliances with the left.
- Winter urged voters to reject fear-mongering and support his party for decisive change.
Ofer Winter, chairman of the 'Am Israel' party, has firmly rejected calls for him to withdraw his candidacy, stating he will not resign from the political race. Winter declared that his party belongs to the right-wing camp but outlined strict conditions for any future cooperation. He asserted that his party entered politics to offer a leadership alternative for a large right-wing public dissatisfied with existing options, which he described as either parties that call themselves right-wing but boycott the right, or outgoing coalition parties that succumb to cronyism and harm the public.
Winter addressed what he termed "ugly and incomprehensible attacks" against his party since its announcement, particularly from within the right-wing camp. He cited harassment of candidates and their children, private investigators, pressure on rabbis, and false accusations, which he attributed to "yesterday's politics." He vowed not to yield to such tactics.
He directly criticized Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, refuting Smotrich's past claim of offering Winter the top spot in his party and dismissing Smotrich's current offer of a government position in a yet-to-be-formed government. Winter emphasized that his party is not seeking "jobs" but aims for fundamental change and to serve those who serve the country, rather than engage in the distribution of positions.
Winter reiterated his ideological stance, confirming his alignment with the right-wing and his unchanged positions after 34 years of IDF service. He stated there would be no "open check" for future coalition partners, conditioning support on concrete actions, such as passing legislation for the status of soldiers and enabling voluntary immigration from Gaza. He ruled out any alliance with left-wing parties, stressing that a strong 'Am Israel' party would prevent governments dependent on figures like Yair Golan or Haredi factions, and would instead enable a broad, decisive right-wing government.
Appealing to voters, Winter urged them to disregard fear-mongering, fake news, and lies from politicians. He expressed confidence in the growing public support and the potential for his party to achieve significant influence and enact meaningful change. Winter concluded by reaffirming his commitment to his values and his fighters, promising to uphold the trust placed in him and to fight until victory.
