Retired Brigadier General Ofer Winter Announces New Political Party Amid Right-Wing Criticism

Retired Brigadier General Ofer Winter is set to announce the formation of a new political party and introduce several new members during a press conference on Tuesday evening. Among those joining Winter are David Ben-Zion, deputy head of the Shomron Regional Council and a reserve soldier; Sigal Krawnik, widow of the late Eric Krawnik, a security officer at Kibbutz Be'eri; Eran Ben-Ari, head of the opposition at the Israel Bar Association; and Aviv Ezra, chairman of the Victory Generation movement.

This announcement comes amid recent criticism from the right-wing political spectrum regarding Winter's potential candidacy with a new party. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video urging right-wing voters not to support small parties that may fail to pass the electoral threshold. Netanyahu warned that splitting votes among minor parties could enable the left to return to power, calling such votes a waste and likening them to throwing votes in the trash.

Netanyahu emphasized the importance of consolidating right-wing votes, stating, "Do not vote for these small parties, there will be no trace left of them." He concluded by warning that wasting votes on small factions would guarantee a left-wing victory, which he described as a disaster for Israel, and urged voters to prevent this outcome by voting strategically.