Prime Minister Netanyahu held a secret meeting Tuesday afternoon with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir at the Kirya in Tel Aviv, where the three discussed preparations for Israel’s upcoming elections and coordination within the right-wing bloc, Channel 14 political correspondent Motti Kastel reports.
A significant portion of the discussion reportedly focused on retired Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter and his newly formed Amcha Yisrael party. According to the report, Netanyahu warned Smotrich and Ben Gvir that Winter poses a “danger to the right-wing bloc” and urged greater coordination between them in response.
Netanyahu reportedly expressed concern that Amcha Yisrael could fail to cross the electoral threshold, resulting in votes for the party being lost. He further argued that even if Winter does cross the threshold, he could take votes from the right-wing bloc and ultimately transfer those votes to the left.
The meeting comes amid growing political attention surrounding Winter and his decision to run independently. Amcha Yisrael has submitted its candidate list for the Knesset and intends to compete as an independent party rather than joining another political framework.
Winter responded sharply to the report, accusing Netanyahu, Smotrich and Ben Gvir of holding what he described as an “urgent secret discussion” at the Kirya focused on stopping him and his party rather than addressing Israel’s security challenges.
“You won’t believe what they discussed,” Winter said, according to the report. “Not defeating Hamas or the renewed concern over kidnappings after three years of war.” Instead, Winter charged that the three leaders were focused on an effort to “stop me and my Amcha Yisrael party.”
Winter further claimed that the political leaders were seeking to prevent his party from advancing several issues, including a national service law, the establishment of a commission of inquiry and achieving a decisive outcome in the Gaza Strip.
“Friends, it’s too late,” Winter declared. “Amcha Yisrael is on its way to the Knesset, on its way to the government, and on its way to restoring leadership, responsibility and decisiveness to the country. What was will not be.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
