From the Liveblog of
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Ofer Winter says his party will only back Netanyahu as the next prime minister
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People of Israel party chairman Ofer Winter announces that he will only recommend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the next premier following the upcoming national election.
“We are part of the right-wing camp. Netanyahu is the leader of the right-wing camp, and he is the only person we will recommend [for prime minister],” Winter says in a statement.
“We will not dance to anyone’s tune,” adds the controversial former IDF general. “The ultra-Orthodox will be integrated into the IDF, with or without the Haredi political operatives. There will be voluntary emigration from Gaza… there will be decisive victory, not containment.”
Following a national election, the heads of each party in the Knesset meet with President Isaac Herzog and nominate one person to form the next government. Herzog then taps the person with the most support to attempt to form a governing coalition.
Netanyahu’s Likud party has reportedly been concerned that the fledgling right-wing party — which has been critical of his government’s activity — would end up as part of the “change bloc” coalition, even attempting to give Winter a reserved spot on the Likud list to prevent him from launching his own party.
A Zman Yisrael poll today showed People of Israel would get six seats in the next Knesset, effectively pushing the Religious Zionism party out of the Knesset.
The Times of Israel Community.