Matan Kahana, a candidate in former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party, has intensified his criticism of reserve Brigadier General Ofer Winter, warning that Winter would become "the 61st vote" for what he called "the bloc of 'we'll die but won't enlist'", a reference to ultra-Orthodox resistance to military conscription.
The attack represents the latest salvo in an escalating feud between two newly formed centrist parties. Kahana, who has emerged as Yashar's most vocal spokesperson alongside Eisenkot himself, accused Winter of positioning himself to enable another haredi-dominated government. "Ofer Winter is the 61st vote for [ultra-Orthodox leaders Moshe] Gafni and [Aryeh] Deri," Kahana declared. "He has determined that he's in the 'we'll die but won't enlist' bloc." The phrase references the ultra-Orthodox community's controversial exemption from mandatory military service, a divisive issue in Israeli society.
Days earlier, Eisenkot announced that Winter would not be eligible to serve as defense minister in any government he leads. Winter responded by stating he would not recommend Eisenkot for prime minister, citing what he described as fundamental disagreements on security and policy matters. Since Winter launched his new "Amcha Yisrael" party, the two political movements have clashed repeatedly, with both sides trading accusations as they compete for similar voter bases ahead of the 2026 elections.
