Ofer Winter's New Party Shakes Israeli Right-Wing Politics Ahead of 2026 Elections

A recent poll conducted on August 26, 2026, by Lazar Research Institute in collaboration with Panel4All reveals that Ofer Winter, a retired brigadier general, is poised to enter the Knesset with significant impact through his new party, "Amcha Yisrael." The party is projected to secure six seats, dramatically reshaping the right-wing political landscape in Israel.

Winter's entry notably threatens the Religious Zionism party led by Bezalel Smotrich, which is predicted to fall below the electoral threshold with only 2.6% of the vote. This shift causes a broader erosion within the national camp, including a decline in the Likud party, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, which is expected to drop to 21 seats. Consequently, Netanyahu's bloc would hold 43 seats, or 49 when including Winter's six seats, indicating a weakened right-wing coalition.

Dr. Menachem Lazar, the poll's editor, explains that Winter's party draws votes from a wide spectrum of right-wing factions, including approximately one seat taken from Religious Zionism. The poll also suggests that parties like Otzma Yehudit and United Torah Judaism are losing support due to Winter's candidacy. Lazar attributes Winter's broad appeal to his perception as part of a "third bloc," attracting voters previously undecided within the Religious Zionist base.

The overall poll results show "Yashar!" led by Gadi Eizenkot leading with 25 seats, followed by Likud with 21, and "Beyachad" led by Naftali Bennett with 15. Other parties include the Democrats (10 seats), Yisrael Beiteinu (9), Otzma Yehudit (8), Shas (7), United Torah Judaism (7), Hadash-Ta'al-Balad (7), Amcha Yisrael (6), and Ra'am (5). The survey sampled 500 participants representing the adult Israeli population, with a margin of error of 4.4%.