Netanyahu pressures small right-wing parties to quit election race

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is applying pressure on smaller right-wing parties to withdraw from the upcoming election, concerned they could cost him crucial votes, according to reports. The election, set for October 27, sees Netanyahu's right-wing coalition in a tight race with his main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot. The primary target of Netanyahu's pressure campaign is Ofer Winter, the founder of the newly formed far-right Amcha Israel party, which is currently polling near the 3.25% electoral threshold required to enter the Knesset, Israel's parliament.

Should Winter's party fail to meet this threshold, thousands of right-wing voters could be lost to the opposition. Netanyahu shared a graphic on social media warning that voting for parties below the electoral threshold could lead to opposition parties gaining power. Netanyahu and his coalition partner, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have been accusing Winter of jeopardizing their coalition's chances and attempting to persuade him to withdraw from the race.

This includes a recent meeting with Winter's spiritual mentor, Rabbi Eli Sadan, and Smotrich's public offer of a ministerial position in exchange for Winter's withdrawal. Winter has steadfastly refused these demands, stating he will support a future Netanyahu-led government only if it includes the conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, an issue that has become increasingly contentious due to the Israeli military's manpower shortages and ongoing exemption of most ultra-Orthodox men from compulsory service.

Despite these pressures, Winter remains committed to backing Netanyahu. Netanyahu has also reportedly sought to convince Moti Leitner, the founder of a new ultra-Orthodox party, to withdraw from the election, but Leitner has refused, arguing his party's poll numbers remain too low to make a difference. Other small parties are also reconsidering their participation in the election.

Benny Gantz announced his withdrawal from the race after polls showed his Blue and White party far below the threshold. Gantz, Netanyahu's main rival in the 2019 and 2020 elections, served alongside him in national unity governments during the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict in 2023.