Likud officials are formulating moves aimed at dismantling the Amcha Yisrael party, just days after Ofer Winter announced its launch.
According to a Channel 12 News report, the plan would offer Winter the second spot on a joint slate headed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin, with an additional representative from his party receiving a spot in the top ten.
At the same time, the proposal includes reserving two spots on the Likud slate for members of Winter's party. Likud has identified Winter's number two, Yoseph Haddad, as a candidate to join its slate - an offer that had already been made to him before he joined Winter.
The proposal under consideration also includes a commitment allowing Winter's faction to split off and become an independent faction following the elections.
Political officials estimate that if the move does not materialize, Likud will adopt a messaging strategy warning that Amcha Yisrael could cause votes in the right-wing bloc to be wasted, while toning down direct attacks against Winter.
At this stage, Winter is rejecting the proposal. At the same time, he is holding talks with the Economic Party headed by Yaron Zelekha and with the new "Haredi Public" party.
Responding to the political pressure, Ofer Winter and Yoseph Haddad issued a joint statement saying: "The people of Israel demand something new, not more of the same. Anyone who truly wants to integrate haredim into the IDF, to truly give back to those who serve and their families, and to truly achieve a decisive victory - Amcha Yisrael is the only address for them."
"We will not serve as a bulletproof vest for [United Torah Judaism MKs Moshe] Gafni and [Yitzhak] Goldknopf at the expense of those who serve."