The key facts

  • Netanyahu and Smotrich, according to Yedioth Ahronoth, turned to Rabbi Eli Sadan to persuade Ofer Winter to withdraw the Amcha Yisrael party from the October 27 election.
  • Winter called this pressure and said his party 'will compete until the end'.
  • KAN poll: Netanyahu's bloc — 51 seats versus 52 for Gadi Eisenkot's bloc; neither bloc reaches the 61 seats needed for a majority.

Visit to a rabbi to get a candidate to withdraw

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as reported on Tuesday by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, turned to a well-known rabbi with a request to persuade Amcha Yisrael party leader Ofer Winter to withdraw from the October 27 parliamentary election. According to the outlet, Netanyahu, together with Finance Minister, Religious Zionism party leader Bezalel Smotrich, visited the Bnei David pre-military academy in the settlement of Eli in the occupied West Bank, where he met with Rabbi Eli Sadan, who knows Winter well.

Arguments about a split in the right-wing bloc

Citing sources at the academy, the newspaper reports that Netanyahu and Smotrich showed Sadan fresh polls, arguing that several small parties could cost the right-wing bloc mandates. They also pointed out that the opposition had 'better organized its ranks' after Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz withdrew his candidacy on Monday.

Winter's reaction

In a video published by the newspaper, Winter accused Netanyahu and Smotrich of attempts at pressure. 'The people of Israel want a different politics,' he said. According to him, he is running in the election to offer the right-wing camp an alternative based on responsibility, acknowledgment of mistakes, and uniting Israelis, and he stated that his party 'will continue to compete until the end'.

Prior pressure

Last week, according to Yedioth Ahronoth, Davidi Ben Zion, eighth on Winter's list, withdrew his candidacy after pressure from Smotrich's circle and West Bank rabbis, citing concerns that supporters' votes would be wasted if the party failed to cross the electoral threshold. On October 12, Winter said Netanyahu would bear responsibility for the collapse of the right-wing bloc if his party did not pass the threshold. Calls for his withdrawal are intensifying amid polls showing the party's result below the 3.25% threshold.

The lineup before the election

The election is scheduled for October 27 amid deep political divisions. On Sunday, Netanyahu admitted he was not sure of victory and was 'very worried'. According to a poll by public broadcaster KAN, Netanyahu's bloc loses two mandates and has 51 seats versus 52 for the bloc of Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot; Eisenkot also leads him in suitability-for-premier rating — 43% versus 35%. According to the polls, neither bloc gains the 61 mandates needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.