Netanyahu Ally Warns Of Ofer Winter’s Bid Aimed At Weakening Right-Wing Bloc

Natan Eshel, a close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has expressed concern over Ofer Winter’s anticipated run in the upcoming elections. Eshel believes Winter’s candidacy is intended to undermine the right-wing camp in general and Religious Zionist leader Bezalel Smotrich in particular. He warned that Winter, who reportedly does not feel committed to the right-wing bloc and has declined a reserved spot on the Likud list, will not pass the electoral threshold and will not cooperate with Netanyahu after the elections.

Eshel emphasized that their faction, identifying as "graduates of Rabbi Levinger and Hanan Porat," is determined not to repeat past mistakes like those leading to the Oslo Accords. Within Netanyahu’s circle, there is consideration on how to respond to Winter’s party, with a current strategy leaning toward attacking Winter to weaken his influence.

A Kantar Institute poll conducted for Kan News examined a scenario where Winter runs independently. The poll projects his party would secure five Knesset seats but would cause Smotrich’s party to hover near the electoral threshold. This dynamic would also weaken the Otzma Yehudit party and shift a seat to Yisrael Beiteinu. Under this scenario, the right-wing bloc would hold only 50 seats in the next Knesset, while the anti-Netanyahu bloc would gain 58 seats.