Brigadier General (res.) Ofer Winter responded to recent reports about his political future, stressing that these reports are unconnected to reality.
In a video he published, Winter said, "I receive hundreds of inquiries and questions, and it was important for me to answer everyone so you can hear it directly from me."
"Since my discharge, people have managed to appoint me head of the Immigration Authority, as Police Commissioner, as head of the National Security Council, and if all that wasn't enough, we've heard a lot of political spins and speculations, which to me have no connection whatsoever."
He added, "A lot of things have been said about me in life, some good, and also quite a few which are bad, as well as many lies. One thing is certain, no one has ever said that I'm shy. There’s no such concern. When I have something to say, I say it in my own voice, and in the clearlest fashion. So I suggest everyone take a breath, drink a cold glass of water, and focus on what truly matters - the State of Israel's security and healing the rifts within the nation."
A Channel 13 poll published Wednesday night revealed that, while the Religious Zionism party does not currently meet the electoral threshold, if Ofer Winter were to lead the party and Bezalel Smotrich moved to second place, the party would win seven seats.
According to the data, if elections were held today, the Likud party would win 26 Knesset seats, former Prime Ministet Naftali Bennett’s party would win 24, and Otzma Yehudit and Shas would win 10 seats each.
Yisrael Beteynu and Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party would win eight seats each, Yesh Atid and United Torah Judaism seven seats each, and Ra’am (United Arab List) and Hadash-Ta’al five seats each.
In this scenario, the Religious Zionism party, Blue and White, Yoaz Hendel's "Reservists" party, and the Arab Balad party would not pass the threshold.
Winter’s joining would not only change the outcome for the Religious Zionism party but also alter the balance of blocs, with two additional seats going to the right-wing bloc, now tied with the government opponents-each bloc having 55 seats, with the Arab parties holding the remaining 10 seats.