The chairman of the Amcha Yisrael party, Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter, launched a fierce attack against statements made against him and his party during a campaign event in Rishon LeZion.
Likud responded sharply, demanding that Winter retract his statements and threatening to file a libel lawsuit if he fails to do so.
“We are in the Ten Days of Repentance, yet during this very period, I am hearing severe statements like: 'He needs to be dismantled,' 'He needs to be taken down,' 'It’s time to eliminate him,'" Winter told hundreds of activists and supporters.
He further claimed, “These are quotes from Likud ministers, Knesset members, or parliamentary candidates directed against someone they were desperate to reserve a spot for on their ticket just a minute ago - for me and for many of my colleagues on the Amcha Yisrael slate."
Addressing the makeup of his party's slate, Winter highlighted the reservists and combat soldiers on it, alongside those who lost loved ones on October 7. “Are these the people you want to 'take down'?" he asked, asserting that the massacre occurred “as a result of reckless policies pursued over years by both the military and political leadership - not as an unavoidable twist of fate."
Winter then directed his criticism toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s inner circle: “To my deep regret, the Prime Minister’s confidants and advisors are giving him terrible advice. They are completely out of touch with the ground." He added: “They don't understand the state of the right-wing camp and are intoxicated by fake polls presented to them by pollsters with agenda-driven interests, trapping the Right in a misconception that victory is already in the bag."
Winter questioned why Likud is attacking his party if the polls they rely on show they can secure a majority without him. “After all, you are presenting to Netanyahu and the public that you have 64 seats without me - so what are you complaining about? If victory is already in the bag, then what do you want from me? How have I wronged you?"
“I am telling you - attacking Amcha Yisrael is a spectacular own goal, and whoever scores it will have to take responsibility for their actions and the consequences for the entire nation of Israel," he added. Calling on supporters to vote for his party, he said, “The answer is simple - a vote for Amcha Yisrael."
Winter further alleged that there were deliberate attempts to harm the party and its members: “They tried to merge us by force, they tried and are still trying to come after us, they tried to dismantle us, they tried to threaten us, they sent private investigators, and they sent hateful text messages to my phone and those of all our party members - yet here we are."
He added, “All of us - united and strong as a fist, and above all, unafraid. Unafraid of threats, unafraid of intimidation. Yes, there are people here who cannot be bought, and that is how it will be in the next government too."
Likud rejected the allegations, stating: “An absolute lie. We demand that Winter retract these false and baseless accusations. If he fails to do so, Likud will move forward with a libel lawsuit against him."
Likud added: “It is unfortunate that instead of attacking the Left and preventing the formation of a government led by Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Liberman, and the Arab parties, Winter chooses to undermine a right-wing victory in the elections."
Following Likud’s statement, a spokesperson for Winter clarified: “Ofer Winter at no point in his speech stated that Likud was the party that sent private investigators to his home."