Winter submits his People of Israel party’s Knesset slate, dashing Smotrich’s hope for merger with Religious Zionism

Ofer Winter’s new People of Israel party formally submits to the Central Election Committee its slate of 18 candidates for the upcoming election, confirming that the former IDF general has decided that his party will run independently rather than merge with Likud or join forces with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism.

Winter will head the slate, followed by right-wing Arab Israeli activist Yoseph Haddad, former Channel 13 journalist Netali Shem Tov and Eran Ben-Ari, the leader of the conservative opposition bloc within the Israel Bar Association.

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum takes the fifth spot, followed by Lali Derai, the mother of slain IDF soldier Staff Sgt. Saadia Derai; financial analyst Ronen Bodner; deputy head of the Samaria Council Davidi Ben Zion; former Israeli diplomat Aviv Ezra; and Sigal Kraunik-Atia, the widow of Kibbutz Be’eri’s security coordinator Arik Kraunik, who was killed battling invading terrorists on October 7, 2023.

Recent polling has shown People of Israel narrowly clearing the electoral threshold with four seats.

Winter says the party, which was launched just two weeks ago, has already become “a significant player on the political map,” and promises to pursue “a policy of a true right wing and decisive military victory on all fronts,” alongside integrating the ultra-Orthodox community into the IDF.

“With God’s help, we will be the surprise of the election,” he says.

In response to his announcement, Religious Zionism, which competes with Winter for support among the pro-settlement nationalist right, says Smotrich had deliberately kept spots open on his slate in anticipation of “a necessary and responsible merger” with Winter, but will now consider filling them with other candidates.

Smotrich separately accuses Winter of “gambling with the future of right-wing rule and the State of Israel” by running independently, claiming Winter had “persistently refused every proposal for unity within the nationalist camp.”

The decision “casts a heavy shadow over his judgment and the credibility of his promise to recommend Netanyahu for prime minister and to join only the nationalist camp,” Smotrich says.

“A true right-winger doesn’t take a chance this time,” he adds.