Netanyahu, Smotrich Meet Rav Sadan Over Ofer Winter Run

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich met with Rav Eli Sadan shlita. Rav Sadan founded the Bnei David pre-military academy and is Ofer Winter's Rabb. The two leaders hoped Rav Sadan's influence over his former student would persuade Winter to withdraw from the Knesset race.

The meeting is part of a wider push within the right-wing camp to get Winter out of the contest. The concern is that ballots cast for his party will not translate into Knesset seats.

Smotrich, who also chairs the Religious Zionist Party, publicly appealed on Monday to Winter and the leaders of other parties to quit the race.

"The left is now organized, with zero wasted votes. Unfortunately, on the right, the situation is now completely the opposite. Ofer Winter, along with several other splinter parties that have absolutely no chance of crossing the electoral threshold, are gambling with the future of the State of Israel."

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi pointed to the opposition's example. "Gantz is demonstrating responsibility toward his friends on the left so that not a single vote is lost. It is time for the right to come to its senses as well. If Winter withdraws, I will take my hat off to him," Karhi said.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar urged right-wing parties polling below the threshold to step aside. "The cost of wasting right-wing votes in these elections could be devastating. Show responsibility for the sake of the people of Israel and the Land of Israel," Sa'ar said.

The calls on the right intensified after Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz left the race yesterday. His exit sharpened demands on the right that parties polling below the electoral threshold, whose votes would not translate into Knesset seats, do the same.

In a JFeed analysis published Tuesday, Winter was counted alongside Likud, the chareidi parties, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich in the scenario in which Netanyahu's bloc wins 64 seats.