Rabbi Sadan Clarifies Stance on Ofer Winter's Election Bid

Rabbi Eli Sadan, Rosh Yeshiva of Eli Yeshiva, has released a new recording clarifying his position regarding Brigadier General (Res.) Ofer Winter's candidacy in the upcoming elections. Sadan expressed his hope that Winter's party will surpass the electoral threshold, which he believes is crucial for establishing a "full right-wing government" led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"I think only if Ofer Winter passes the electoral threshold will Netanyahu have a full right-wing government, and that is what I hope will happen," Sadan stated in the recording. He explained that he initially decided not to comment on the matter but felt compelled to speak out after hearing reports that his words were being misrepresented as a call to vote against Winter due to concerns about him failing to pass the threshold. "I did not say that, of course," Sadan clarified, emphasizing his wish for Winter to succeed.

Sadan's remarks come after a recent meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich at the Eli Yeshiva. Reports, which Sadan now denies, claimed that during this meeting, Sadan had convinced Netanyahu that Winter should withdraw his candidacy. The meeting reportedly occurred amid concerns within the right-wing bloc about votes being lost to parties unlikely to pass the electoral threshold.

Also present at the meeting were other yeshiva leaders, Rabbi Yigal Levinstein and Rabbi Yehuda Sadan, along with staff members from Netanyahu's and Smotrich's circles. Winter, who heads the "Am Israel" party, had previously stated his intention to continue his campaign. Sadan's latest recording reiterates his support for Winter's success in crossing the electoral threshold, asserting it as a prerequisite for a stable right-wing government under Netanyahu.