Ofer Winter’s Amcha Yisrael party formally submitted its Knesset slate on Monday, confirming that it will run independently in the upcoming election despite sustained pressure from Religious Zionist Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich to unite the right-wing camp.
The party’s director-general submitted the slate to Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg, officially registering Amcha Yisrael to compete in the election. Winter heads the list, followed by activist Yoseph Haddad in second place and journalist Netali Shem Tov in third.
Eran Ben Ari, who leads the conservative opposition bloc within the Israel Bar Association, is fourth; Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum is fifth; and bereaved mother Lali Deri is sixth. Economist Ronen Budnero takes the seventh spot, followed by Samaria Council Deputy Chairman Davidi Ben Zion, Aviv Ezra and Sigal Kraunik.
Further down the slate are Eli Gino at No. 11, new oleh Eric Rubin at No. 12, Alam Ibrahim at No. 13, Moshe Har Tzion at No. 14, Lilach Haim Idelberg at No. 15, Moshe Toledano at No. 16, Raz Malka at No. 17 and Dor Yitzhak at No. 18.
Winter said after the filing that Amcha Yisrael, which officially launched only two weeks ago, had already become a “significant player on the political map.” He said the party aims to represent the broader Israeli public while advancing what he described as a “true right-wing policy” and pursuing military victory on all fronts.
Addressing the Chareidi draft issue, Winter said Amcha Yisrael supports integrating Chareidim into the IDF and giving full backing to soldiers. He added that the party would pursue that policy “without compromise” and would not serve as a political shield for Yitzchak Goldknopf at the expense of those serving in the military.
“With G-d’s help, we will be the surprise of the elections,” Winter declared.
The decision to submit an independent slate effectively ends any remaining possibility of a merger between Amcha Yisrael and Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party before the election. Smotrich had spent recent days publicly urging Winter to join forces with him, warning that a separate run could split right-wing votes.
Smotrich sharply criticized Winter’s decision, saying he regretted the move and accusing Winter of “gambling with the future of right-wing rule and the State of Israel.” He argued that the main beneficiaries of a divided national camp would be Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit and the political left.
Winter rejected the criticism and accused Smotrich’s camp of engaging in fearmongering. He said Israeli voters are looking for new leadership figures who were not part of the events that led up to October 7 and who can lead Israel to victory in Gaza, increase Chareidi enlistment in the IDF and address issues he said were not properly handled during the previous term.
The dispute followed several days of intense pressure from within the Religious Zionist camp. Smotrich had delayed decisions on reserved positions on his own slate in hopes of keeping room available for a possible merger with Winter.
A group of Religious Zionist rabbanim and yeshiva heads also issued a public appeal to Winter on Sunday, urging him to support efforts to unite the right ahead of the election. They warned against taking political risks and called on him to join Smotrich’s unity initiative.
With Amcha Yisrael’s slate now formally submitted, Winter is moving ahead independently and positioning his newly established party as a separate right-wing option in the upcoming election.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
