Elections 2026

Netanyahu targets party after Winter

After weeks of attacks on Ofer Winter's party, the prime minister is now pressuring Rabbi Avargil's faction to drop out before election day, with Likud claiming the move could add two mandates to the right-wing bloc.

Jfeed Staff

OCT 13, 2026 13:51

2 min read

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The Likud faction convened Monday night to discuss the election campaign and what remains to be done in the two weeks before Israelis go to the polls.

According to a report by Amiel Yarchi on i24, the Likud campaign meeting was presented with data showing that each of the smaller parties in the right-wing bloc is burning thousands of votes, which together add up to a significant number. The meeting particpants decided to apply heavy pressure in the final stretch, aiming at Rabbi Avargil's party withdrawing.

Sources in Likud claim there is a possibility the Netanyahu bloc will reach 61 mandates after the elections. According to those same sources, in a scenario where the parties of Yoaz Hendel, Yaron Zelekha and Ofer Winter withdraw from the race before election day, the bloc could reach as many as 63 mandates, Anna Barsky reported Tuesday in Maariv.

Likud estimates that even if these parties remain in the race but are significantly weakened, the number of votes the bloc loses may be smaller. On the other hand, if they fail to pass the electoral threshold and together "burn" votes equivalent to two or three mandates, it will damage the right-wing bloc.

In recent weeks, Netanyahu has repeatedly attacked Winter, called on him to withdraw, and even labeled him "Bennett 2." Winter, for his part, returned fire, attacking Netanyahu and claiming he responded weakly to Hamas.

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