Amcha Yisrael party chairman Ofer Winter addressed party activists on Tuesday evening following the release of the exit polls in the 26th Knesset elections, all of which showed his party failing to cross the electoral threshold.
In his speech, Winter made clear that he intends to continue the political path he has begun and rejected accusations that his candidacy had damaged the right-wing bloc's chances of winning the election.
"As we said from the beginning, anyone looking for a political position came to the wrong place," Winter told activists. "I was looking for fighters, fighters who believe in our cause, who come to fight alongside us for principles, not for a political position."
Winter addressed criticism from within the right-wing camp that votes cast for his party could be wasted, potentially weakening Netanyahu's bloc.
He argued that Amcha Yisrael's supporters had actually come from opposition parties or from voters who had not intended to participate in the election.
"We wasted votes that would have gone to opposition parties or came from people who weren't planning to vote at all," he claimed.
Meanwhile, Amcha Yisrael officials rejected accusations that Winter's candidacy had harmed the right-wing bloc, presenting their own analysis of the exit poll figures.
According to the party, a preliminary examination suggested that had Winter withdrawn from the race, the Reservists-Economic Party led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelekha would have crossed the electoral threshold, securing four additional seats for the left-wing bloc.
Party officials also maintained that most Amcha Yisrael voters had not previously supported coalition parties, arguing that there was no basis for claims that the party's participation had cost the right-wing camp Knesset seats.
Later in his speech, Winter thanked the families of party activists, logistics personnel, and campaign staff for their efforts throughout the election campaign.
He offered a personal tribute to the party's director-general, Avi, who has accompanied him for three decades, dating back to their shared military service.
"Avi has been with me for 30 years. We saw difficult things together. We had soldiers blown up alongside us. We went through difficult experiences," Winter recalled.
Winter also spoke about the soldiers who had fought alongside him and the hardships they had endured over the years, describing their shared military experience as a source of determination to persevere despite setbacks.
"Those who fought alongside me remember. We never bowed our heads. We held our heads high and continued fighting, because the eternal nation is not afraid of a long journey," he concluded.
His remarks came as vote counting continued, with all published exit polls placing Amcha Yisrael below the electoral threshold. The party's final standing will only become clear once the official election results are released.