Amcha Yisrael party chairman Ofer Winter held a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Prime Minister's Office, Channel 12 reported.
During the meeting, Winter was offered a reserved slot on the Likud slate for the upcoming election, along with additional spots reserved for other candidates. However, Ofer rejected the offer and launched his own independent party.
Winter's acquiescence to the meeting surprised members of his inner circle, given that in recent months he had told his confidants that he had no intention of meeting or running with currently serving politicians. Winter's immediate refusal of a deal to join the party caused many in the Prime Minister's circle to worry that he was prepared to join an alternative coalition.
Two days after launching his party, Winter chose to clarify that he would only recommend Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government after the elections, emphasizing: "We do not work for anyone, only the people of Israel. We will not dance to anyone's flute."
The clarification followed pressure from the Prime Minister's circle and his son, Yair Netanyahu, who wrote in a social media post that "Winter will recommend Liberman as prime minister."
Despite Winter's public commitment, Likud sources said that they "are not calm. Winter left loose ends, and Bennett also said similar things at the time."