Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants former general Ofer Winter to lead Bezalel Smotrich's list in the upcoming elections, Shahar Glick reported on Galei Tzahal on Tuesday.
Prime Minister's Office officials have seen that the Religious Zionist party has had trouble passing the electoral threshold in successive opinion polls. Netanyahu discussed with his aides ways to help the ally party, and during several meetings mentioned the option of pressing Smotrich to give up the number one spot on the party list.
According to one of the proposals, Winter would receive the 1st, 7th, and 8th spots on the joint list, while Smotrich would be appointed as a senior minister in the next government.
Glick notes in his report that Smotrich is not cooperating in discussions on the matter, and Winter continues to insist on running alone. Netanyahu has said about the two during closed discussions: "By the elections, we'll make sure to straighten them out."
The Likud responded to the report, saying: “We must admit, your imagination and creativity manage to surprise even us, and that is no small feat."
The Finance Minister’s Office said: “In the last elections, the Religious Zionists under Bezalel Smotrich led the bloc to the right of Likud to an unprecedented achievement of 14 seats, which brought the right to power. In light of Religious Zionism’s unprecedented achievements in this term, leading the war effort, advancing settlement, strengthening the economy, promoting immigration, and providing economic backing to reservists, it will, G-d willing, replicate and even surpass that achievement. We recommend that parties, or those dreaming of politics, focus on serving Israel’s citizens rather than briefings and fantasies of petty politics."
Ofer Winter said: “At a time when Hamas and Hezbollah are still standing, when the enemy is raising its head in Judea and Samaria, and when the borders with Jordan and Egypt are porous to smuggling, I believe we should focus more on Israel’s security and sealing the borders, and less on politics and closing lists. Regarding the claim in the report-it never happened, and I do not engage in political rumors of any kind."