Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (r) and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in the Knesset in Jerusalem. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
On Wednesday, Winter said his party belongs to the right-wing bloc and would support only Netanyahu as prime minister.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he would personally try to unite Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir ahead of Israel’s elections, prompting Ben-Gvir to accuse him of seeking to weaken Otzma Yehudit and reveal what he described as their private discussions over right-wing electoral alliances.
Netanyahu warned that separate runs by right-wing parties could cost the bloc votes if parties fail to cross the electoral threshold, pointing to the 1992 election as a precedent.
“Every time we went together—we won. Every time we went separately—we lost. I understand that there are personal grievances between them; they need to overcome them,” Netanyahu said.
“I will invite them in the coming days. We will make a supreme effort to unite them, and that is what the public expects from them—and rightly so.”
Smotrich also called for “A time for unity and responsibility in the national camp.”
Ben-Gvir rejected a renewed alliance between Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism, arguing that such a merger would instead cost the right 3–4 seats by discouraging voters from participating.
“You know the data and the in-depth studies just as well as I do. We spoke several times in recent weeks. According to all the polls, a merger between me and Smotrich would drive away 3–4 seats’ worth of voters who would not come out to vote, and the right-wing government would fall!” Ben-Gvir said.
He claimed Netanyahu had previously identified a different arrangement as preferable.
“You told me yourself that the perfect scenario for maximizing the votes would be Winter and Smotrich running together—because, according to you, Winter doesn’t bring any votes from undecided voters!”
Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter recently entered politics with his Amcha Yisrael party.
Winter said Wednesday that his party belongs to the right-wing bloc and would support only Netanyahu for prime minister.
Ben-Gvir claimed Netanyahu is seeking a smaller Otzma Yehudit so he could potentially form a broad government with Gadi Eisenkot after the election.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, said division among right-wing parties could again allow votes to be lost below the electoral threshold.
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