Winter: Pledging to back only Netanyahu was a mistake

A week before Israelis vote, Amcha Yisrael chairman Ofer Winter told Channel 12 on Wednesday that he may have made a mistake when he announced at the start of the campaign that he would recommend only Benjamin Netanyahu for prime minister.

"Sometimes I consider whether it was right or not right, but it's not relevant," Winter said in an interview with Almog Boker. "I am a man of truth and I am in the national camp. Even if they blacken my name, I'm not going to say now I'll cross to the other side. It may not have been quite right to say it at the start."

The remark drew a sharp response from Likud, which issued a statement saying Winter "reveals the truth and says 'it was a mistake to announce at the start of the campaign that we would recommend only Netanyahu.'" According to Likud, "Winter, like Bennett, will take votes from the right and transfer them to a left-wing government of Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Liberman, Bennett and the Arab parties."

Likud called on voters: "Don't fall for fake right. Vote Likud."

At the same time, according to a report by correspondent Amit Segal, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is expected to deliver a dramatic statement at six this evening. According to the report, Smotrich will propose that Winter withdraw in exchange for a ministerial post from the Religious Zionism quota.

Photo: Amcha Yisrael party, Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

Segal wrote in response to Winter's remark: "I don't know who gave Winter the foolish advice to say this now. It's like fulfilling all the suspicions Netanyahu is trying to pin on him, and volunteering to do it."

Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Smotrich met on Tuesday with Winter's rabbi, Rabbi Eli Sadan, in an attempt to persuade him that Winter should withdraw from the race. At the meeting, Rabbi Sadan was shown in-depth polls proving that Winter has no chance of crossing the electoral threshold, according to a report by correspondent Amir Ettinger.

Winter responded on Tuesday with an angry video: "Netanyahu, I heard you and Smotrich are on your way to Rabbi Eli Sadan to pressure me to withdraw. Guys, internalize this. The people of Israel want different politics. The people of Israel are sick of this ugly campaign."