Netanyahu Pressures Small Right-Wing Parties to Prevent Vote Waste

With six days remaining until the general election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is exerting significant pressure on smaller right-wing parties, some of which were formed only about six weeks ago. These efforts aim to prevent a repeat of the 2022 and 2019 election outcomes, where votes cast for parties that did not pass the electoral threshold were lost, significantly impacting the political map. The Likud party fears a scenario where between 200,000 and 220,000 right-wing votes could be wasted.

Negotiations are underway with Motty Leitner, leader of the "Religious Public" party, with direct contact including phone calls and meetings with Netanyahu himself. Leitner's central demand is a legislative change to the surplus votes agreement law, ensuring that votes for a party failing to cross the electoral threshold are not forfeited. While there is optimism within Netanyahu's circle that Leitner might withdraw his party before the weekend, the "Religious Public" party has officially stated its intention to run until the end.

Intense pressure is also being applied to other figures on the right. The Noam party, currently holding one Knesset seat, has its spiritual leader, Rabbi Tzvi Tau, refusing to meet with or respond to Netanyahu's calls, despite tens of thousands of votes being at stake. Meanwhile, an aggressive campaign is targeting Ofer Winter, chairman of the "Am Israel" party. This campaign includes appeals to his rabbis, a letter from bereaved families urging him to withdraw to protect the right-wing government, and protests outside the homes of his party's candidates.

Despite the pressure, Winter remains committed to running and has rejected offers, including a government position proposed by Bezalel Smotrich of the Religious Zionism party. Winter stated that his party seeks to bring about change and leadership, not just jobs. He clarified that while his party aligns with the right, it will not offer automatic support to any future government, setting conditions such as advancing legislation for IDF soldiers and implementing a policy of decisive action and voluntary emigration from Gaza. Winter also ruled out joining a government with Yair Golan and suggested his party could enable the formation of a right-wing government independent of ultra-Orthodox parties.

These developments occur amidst significant internal tensions within the right-wing bloc, including disputes between the Likud and Itamar Ben-Gvir's party, and conflicts between the ultra-Orthodox parties and Bezalel Smotrich. This internal strife heightens concerns within Netanyahu's camp about losing control and the potential for a massive loss of votes if lists do not withdraw.