Full coverage· Politics· Updated 21 Oct, 21:50

Israeli Finance Minister Offers Post to Prevent Vote Split

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, chairman of the Religious Zionism party, publicly offered Brigadier General (Res.) Ofer Winter a senior ministerial post in the Defense Ministry in exchange for withdrawing his party from the upcoming Knesset elections. Smotrich warned that Winter's party, called Am Israel, Amcha Yisrael, or Am Yisrael, is failing to pass the electoral threshold in recent polls. He argued that continuing the run risks splitting the right-wing vote and enabling a left-wing government, drawing parallels to the 1992 elections that led to the Oslo Accords.

8 newsrooms · 3 languages · since 21 Oct, 17:03

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Israeli Finance Minister Offers Post to Prevent Vote Split — Illustration by baba

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What happened

01Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich offered Ofer Winter a ministerial post in the Defense Ministry to withdraw from the Knesset elections.
02The proposed role includes authority over the voluntary emigration of Gaza Arabs and the conscription of the ultra-Orthodox.
03Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also urged Winter to withdraw, citing polls showing his party below the electoral threshold.
04Winter's party rejected the offer, with candidate Yosef Haddad calling the proposal "political bribery" and rejecting "job politics."
05Smotrich warned that Winter's candidacy risks splitting the right-wing vote, comparing the situation to the 1992 elections.
06The offer includes establishing two new directorates with budgets to coordinate with the IDF, COGAT, and intelligence agencies.
07Dovide Ben Zion resigned from Winter's party last week, citing pressure to withdraw from the race.

The proposed deal would grant Winter significant executive powers, including authority over the voluntary emigration of Palestinian Arabs from Gaza and the conscription and labor integration of the ultra-Orthodox. Smotrich offered to allocate this post from his own party's quota, promising the creation of two new directorates with dedicated budgets and staff to coordinate across government ministries, the IDF, COGAT, and intelligence agencies. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also urged Winter to withdraw, citing poll results and Winter's past promise to step down if he risked splitting the right-wing vote.

Winter's party rejected the offer, calling it "job politics" and "political bribery." Party sources stated they were not founded to be absorbed into existing right-wing parties, which they criticized for failing to integrate the ultra-Orthodox. Yosef Haddad, a candidate on Winter's list, joined in rejecting the proposal. The rejection follows the recent resignation of Dovide Ben Zion from Winter's party due to pressure.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 8 newsrooms. Updated 21 Oct, 23:57