Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter announced Tuesday evening the establishment of the “Amcha Yisrael" (“The People of Israel") party and his entry into the political arena.
At a press conference, Winter presented the slate he intends to run with in the upcoming elections for the 26th Knesset. The candidates include figures from the military, media and legal fields, settlement representatives, public activists, and bereaved family members.
The “Amcha Yisrael" party hopes that if it joins the next government, Ofer Winter will receive the Defense portfolio, while Yoseph Haddad, No. 2 on the slate, will serve as Minister of Public Diplomacy.
Haddad, an Israeli Arab Christian and wounded IDF veteran, served as a Golani Brigade fighter and commander and was seriously wounded in the Battle of Bint Jbeil during the Second Lebanon War. In recent years, he has been active in Israeli public diplomacy and until recently served as CEO of “Together - Arabs for Each Other," an organization working to integrate Arab society into the State of Israel.
“I decided to enter the political arena out of a sense of mission and national responsibility," Haddad said. “I chose to join Ofer Winter out of a belief in our shared values and vision for the country. From the Knesset, I will continue working for strong Israeli public diplomacy around the world, for Israel to become a regional power in the Middle East, and to strengthen the partnership among all Israeli citizens."
Journalist Natali Shem Tov, 43, is also joining the slate. A native of Kiryat Shmona and resident of Metula, she was evacuated from her home with her family when the Swords of Iron War began. Shem Tov served in the public diplomacy system and currently serves as a reserve captain. During her career, she held a number of positions at Channel 12 News and served as the Friday presenter of Channel 13’s main news edition.
“I am happy to join Ofer Winter, my neighbor from the Galilee, a courageous Israeli leader on and off the battlefield. Together, we will lead real and determined change in priorities for residents of communities in the periphery and for those who guard Israel’s borders," she said.
Another candidate is Sigal Kraunik-Attia, widow of Be’eri security coordinator Eric (Aryeh) Kraunik, who was killed defending the kibbutz on October 7. According to the announcement of her joining the party, Winter, who arrived to fight in and around Be’eri that day, was the one who located Kraunik’s body.
Since October 7, Kraunik has been publicly advocating for the security of residents of the western Negev and the Gaza border communities. She previously worked for years with children and teenagers, particularly at-risk youth in southern communities. She lectures to military, social and business organizations and has advocated, among others, against agreements with Hamas and in favor of emigration from Gaza as part of changing the security reality in the region.
“October 7 changed our lives and the face of the country forever," Kraunik said. “I am not entering politics to occupy a seat. I am entering because I feel that I have a mission: to give voice to the residents of the Gaza border communities, to the families who paid the heaviest price, and to our children’s generation, which deserves to grow up in a stronger and safer country."
Lali Deri, mother of Staff Sgt. (res.) Saadia Yaakov Deri, who was killed fighting in Gaza in June 2024, also announced that she was joining. Deri, 50, a mother of six who immigrated from France, has worked since her son’s death on issues related to military enlistment, strengthening Sephardi identity, and promoting unity and mutual responsibility.
“Since Saadia’s death, I have understood that my mission is to continue choosing life and working for the shared home of us all," Deri said. “I am entering the political arena and joining the slate of Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter, who has become a close friend, in order to give voice to unity, responsibility and mutual solidarity."
Also joining the slate is David Ben-Zion, 40, deputy and acting head of the Samaria Regional Council and a reserve major in the Paratroopers. Ben-Zion has been part of the leadership of the Samaria Regional Council for approximately 11 years and has held portfolios including education, industry, planning and construction, holy sites and public diplomacy.
Since the outbreak of the war, Ben-Zion has completed hundreds of reserve-duty days in the 55th Brigade, beginning with the fighting in Kfar Aza on October 7, continuing through Khan Yunis and later in the Lebanon and Syria sectors. “Based on the experience I have gained in the field, in local government and in reserve service, I am coming to work and serve all Israeli citizens," he said.
Another security figure joining Winter is Col. (res.) Eli Gino, 47, former commander of the Givati Reconnaissance Battalion and the brigade’s reserve chief of staff. Gino served alongside Winter in the Givati Brigade and commanded the reconnaissance unit during Operation Protective Edge, when IDF soldier Hadar Goldin was abducted in Rafah.
Gino later served as Givati deputy brigade commander and deputy commander of Division 80. During the Swords of Iron War, he served as Givati’s chief of staff and, according to the details released, completed more than 1,000 days of reserve duty. “Ofer was my commander in the Givati Brigade, and I fought alongside him in complex battles. I saw his courage up close and came to know his distinctive values and worldview firsthand," he said.
From the legal field, attorney Eran Ben-Ari is joining the slate. He is a member of the National Bar Council and one of the leading opposition figures in the Israel Bar Association. Ben-Ari previously served in the State Attorney’s Office and Ministry of Defense. He is currently a partner at a private law firm, represents public organizations and bereaved families, and serves as a legal commentator in the media.
Upon joining, Ben-Ari identified judicial reform as one of the issues he intends to address. “A focused, intelligent, responsible and determined judicial reform is needed to restore the proper balance between the branches of government, increase transparency and effective governance, and ensure that the judicial system serves all Israeli citizens," he said.
Joining him is Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, an attorney and social entrepreneur who previously served as deputy mayor of Jerusalem. Hassan-Nahoum immigrated to Israel from Gibraltar 25 years ago and in recent years served as a special envoy for trade and innovation on behalf of the Foreign Ministry. Since October 7, she has worked in Israeli public diplomacy around the world in English and Spanish.
“I came to Israel 25 years ago out of a deep commitment to my people and my country," she said. “I served our capital for eight years as a city council member and deputy mayor. Following the October 7 massacre, I became a fighter on the public diplomacy front. Today, I understand that I must continue serving my country from the Knesset."
Another candidate from the economic sphere is Ronen Budnero, 35, an economist who served as a fighter and commander in the Egoz Unit and currently serves as a reserve major and deputy battalion commander in the medical unit of Division 98. Budnero went to fight on October 7 in the Gaza border area and has since completed approximately 800 days of reserve duty.
Budnero began his professional career as an economist on the Health Team at the Finance Ministry, where he worked on the healthcare system, health funds, and employment and wage agreements. He currently works for a private investment company and said that in the Knesset he intends, among other things, to advocate for war-related mental health casualties and for economic growth.
Rounding out the list is Aviv Ezra, 30, founder and chairman of the “Victory Generation" movement and a reserve soldier. Ezra served as a sniper and commander in the 890th Paratroopers Battalion and has completed more than 350 days of reserve combat duty since the war began.
The “Victory Generation" movement under his leadership has pursued a number of initiatives on behalf of reservists, including preferential treatment for reservists in academia and the civil service, amendments to the “Mimadim LeLimudim" scholarship law, the “Reserve Duty Badge," and efforts to expand military enlistment.
“It is time for our generation, which gives everything for the country, to have genuine representation that comes from the field and understands its struggles," Ezra said.
