Amcha Yisrael party chairman Ofer Winter sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview with Channel 12 News. An excerpt from the interview was released on Friday, ahead of its full broadcast on Saturday night.
Addressing criticism directed at him by the Likud party and the possibility of joining a Netanyahu-led government following the elections, Winter made clear that he would not compromise on the demands that prompted him to establish his party.
"We came to make demands, we came to achieve decisive results, and if that doesn't happen, I'll tell you this: Bibi can go jump in a lake," Winter declared. He emphasized that he was serious, adding, "I don't work for any individual."
Asked whether insisting on his demands could lead to another election, Winter said he had no intention of bringing about such an outcome, but would also refuse to join a government that did not act in accordance with his positions.
"We're not going to another election. We came to do what we're demanding be done, for the people of Israel. And if that doesn't happen, we're not part of it. We're not part of it!" he stated.
During the interview, Winter was also asked about the possibility of forming a government with former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, an idea he firmly rejected.
"That government, a narrow government, would be a disaster for Israel," he said.
Winter's remarks follow a Channel 12 News poll published this week, which found that his Amcha Yisrael party would receive just 1.5% of the vote, falling short of the electoral threshold required to enter the Knesset.
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)