A rally held by Ofer Winter’s new political party featured a series of remarks outlining his political plans and positions on key issues.
At the outset, Winter addressed calls for him to join the political merger announced earlier Tuesday between the Religious Zionist and Zehut parties. “Don’t be swayed by all the pressure. We are the real unity. There is a tremendous amount of pressure from politicians whose turf has been shaken. We are bringing the true voice of the Israeli people."
Winter then clarified his position toward the Prime Minister and the political alignment of his Amcha Yisrael party. “We are in the right-wing camp. We are not getting confused along the way, and we do not want to deceive the public. Right now, the leader of the right-wing camp is Benjamin Netanyahu, and we will sit with him in order to realize our vision."
Winter focused on the issue of sharing the burden of military service and rejected the solutions proposed so far. “You cannot give everyone a blanket exemption and then suddenly say you have a plan. This always happens before an election campaign. It is a recurring ritual."
He later emphasized his main condition for joining the next government: “The haredi public will enlist in the IDF in large numbers. We will not sit in any government that does not make this possible."
Toward the end of his remarks, Winter appeared to suggest that former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot is now making demands regarding military enlistment that he had not raised in the past. “Unfortunately, there are those who now claim they will enlist everyone. These are the same chiefs of staff who did not contribute to the issue. The truth must be told."
Earlier, Winter explained his opposition to the political merger with Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin. “The people of Israel are demanding something new, not more of the same. Anyone who truly wants to integrate the haredim into the IDF, truly wants to give servicemen and their families, our heroes, what they deserve, and truly wants to bring about victory in Gaza and on all fronts, Amcha Yisrael is the only address for them."
He added, “We will not be a shield for Gafni and Goldknopf at the expense of those who serve. We came to bring a new message to the people of Israel. Something new must be established here. We mean what we say. This is the will of the people, who are demanding something different, and that is why we are here. Friends, what was will not be."
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called on Winter to reconsider his position. “I call on Ofer Winter, whose party failed to cross the electoral threshold in any of the three polls on the television channels last night, to prove your commitment to the right-wing bloc, do the right thing and unite with Smotrich and Feiglin. There is no room for a separate run by any party that does not cross the electoral threshold."