Rabbi Sadan backs Winter’s party running despite Netanyahu’s pressure — Jerusalem Post
In Israel, Rabbi Eli Sadan, the spiritual mentor of Ofer Winter, the leader of the People of Israel party, voiced support for its participation in the election two days before the vote. As the Jerusalem Post reports, this came despite attempts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to persuade Sadan to influence Winter to withdraw the party from the race.
Support for participation in the election
Sadan wished Winter success in overcoming the electoral threshold. In his view, only Winter’s party entering the Knesset would allow Netanyahu to form a full-fledged right-wing government. The rabbi also said that he considers Netanyahu an “excellent prime minister” who has done much for Israelis and that he would like him to continue holding the position.
At the same time, Sadan denied reports that he had urged people not to vote for Winter because of the risk of failing to pass the electoral threshold. According to him, he did not say this.
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Attempts to persuade Winter
Last week, Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who heads the far-right Religious Zionism party, met with Sadan. According to the publication, they stressed the risk that Winter’s party would fail to pass the electoral threshold, which could cost the right-wing bloc seats in the Knesset.
Netanyahu urged voters not to support small right-wing parties that are close to the electoral threshold and asked Winter to withdraw from the race in order to “save the right.” Smotrich also offered Winter a ministerial position in the Defense Ministry in exchange for withdrawing from the election. Winter rejected the offer and has repeatedly stated that he does not intend to withdraw from the election.
The People of Israel party supports Netanyahu’s candidacy for prime minister. At the same time, recent polls showed that it either does not pass or only slightly exceeds the required electoral threshold.
