Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday called on Amcha Yisrael Party Chairman Ofer Winter to withdraw from the race for the 26th Knesset after dozens of bereaved families from the recent war published a letter urging him to withdraw as well.
"Ofer Winter, listen to the bereaved families, show responsibility and withdraw, for the sake of right-wing victory!" Netanyahu stated.
A short time later, Winter told Almog Boker on Channel 12: "It may have been a mistake to announce at the beginning of the campaign that we would only recommend Netanyahu for prime minister."
Netanyahu's statement comes just six days before election day, amid concerns in the pro-Netanyahu bloc that Winter's party will not pass the electoral threshold, leading to a loss of votes that could swing the election in the bloc's favor.
Earlier in the day, dozens of families who lost their loved ones in the recent war published an open letter in which they urged Winter to withdraw his candidacy.
The families expressed fear that Winter running alone in the elections would waste votes and hurt the pro-Netanyahu bloc's chances of forming the next government.
The families opened the letter by addressing the war and the military achievements made on the various fronts, emphasizing the heavy personal price they have paid: "For the past three years, the State of Israel has been engaged in a difficult war on multiple fronts. Thanks to our heroic soldiers, the Israeli government, and the spirit of the people, we have achieved significant accomplishments in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. These achievements came at a terrible cost in blood. Our loved ones went into heroic battles and never returned. Nevertheless, the campaign is still underway, and much work remains ahead of us."
According to the signatories, "These elections are critical, critical for the settlement enterprise, the judicial system, and security. Figures on the left have repeatedly declared publicly that they will pursue withdrawals and agreements with the enemy. They will erase all the achievements of the war. In these elections, every vote matters, every vote is critical."
The families then address Winter directly, arguing that according to the polls, his party is failing to cross the electoral threshold. "Ofer, you are not crossing the electoral threshold in a single poll. To cross it, you need to secure approximately 170,000 votes, and you are very, very far from that. We, bereaved families, call on you: Ofer, do not endanger Israel's security. Do not be responsible for bringing about a left-wing government that will harm security and the war effort. Ofer, take responsibility and withdraw from the race today," the letter states.
The appeal comes amid growing pressure within the right-wing camp on smaller parties, including Amcha Yisrael, to withdraw from the race in order to prevent a situation in which large numbers of votes fail to translate into Knesset seats.
In their letter, the families seek to emphasize that, from their perspective, this is not merely a political question but also a security issue concerning the country's future and the continuation of the policies pursued by the government during the war.
