National Security Minister Ben-Gvir rejects vote-sharing deal with Ofer Winter — Jerusalem Post

Israeli National Security Minister and leader of the Otzma Yehudit party Itamar Ben-Gvir refused to conclude a surplus-vote sharing agreement with the Israel’s People party, led by Ofer Winter. The Jerusalem Post reported this on October 13.

Statements by Ben-Gvir and Winter

Ben-Gvir wrote on social media platform X that he would not sign the agreement because he considers Winter “Bennett II” — a comparison with former Israeli prime minister and leader of the Beyachad party Naftali Bennett.

In response, Winter urged Ben-Gvir to “grow up” and said that voters are tired of this style of politics. He also accused his opponent of being willing to lose votes from the right-wing electorate, although he had previously called the upcoming elections fateful. Winter said that the campaign against him would not help the right-wing camp and voiced support for forming a broad national government.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Context ahead of the elections

According to a Walla poll published on Tuesday, Otzma Yehudit could win eight seats in the Knesset. At the same time, Israel’s People is polling at 2.8% of the vote, below the 3.25% electoral threshold.

Surplus-vote sharing agreements provide for combining the remaining votes of two parties after the initial allocation of seats. If the combined remainder is enough for an additional Knesset seat, one of the parties to the agreement may receive it. This mechanism applies only if both parties pass the electoral threshold.

Ahead of the October 27 elections, such agreements have already been concluded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism. Separate agreements were also signed by Shas and United Torah Judaism, as well as parties of the opposition bloc.