People of Israel party chairman Brig.-Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter said that his support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not unconditional in an interview with Channel 12’s Meet the Press on Saturday, emphasizing that Netanyahu must abide by his party’s demands if he wishes to retain that support.
“If not, then I’m telling you, Bibi can kiss my ass,” he said when asked how he would respond if Netanyahu did not do so. “I mean this seriously; I don’t work for a person.”
The demands listed by Winter include a decisive military outcome in Gaza, emigration from Gaza, the passing of a law requiring haredi (ultra-Orthodox) citizens to draft to the IDF, and a right-wing coalition that does not depend on United Torah Judaism’s Yitzhak Goldknopf for its 61st Knesset seat.
He told Channel 12 that he would refuse to sit in a government that does not work toward these goals, saying that his party will “not (be) part of it.”
Netanyahu responded to Winter's comments in a video later on Saturday, with the prime minister describing the People of Israel party chairman as "(former prime minister Naftali) Bennett 2."
"If it walks like Bennett, and it sounds like Bennett, it's Bennett," said Netanyahu.
Winter further described the government proposed by Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot as “a danger to the State of Israel,” due to its inclusion of Democrats party head Yair Golan and “Arabs.”
“The time has come for true, responsible leadership that unites the true Right and brings it to fight for the people of Israel,” he said. “I disqualify Yair Golan.”
Winter says Hamas 'prepared' for war in built-up area
Winter described a previous conversation with Eisenkot in which he laid out his plan for emigration from Gaza.
“Hamas prepared this war for the built-up area, because it knew it couldn’t stop the State of Israel,” he explained.
“So it puts you in a fight in a built-up area with a population so that it can shout ‘Genocide,’ and the world will stop you. I said: ‘Separate the population, push them away, defeat them.’”
Asked if he ruled out the haredi parties, Winter said that he was “not against the ultra-Orthodox community.”
“I respect Torah scholars,” he said. “But the time has come. ... With Goldknopf, this won’t happen, and we won’t allow it.”
Winter says he will run People of Israel election campaign 'to the end'
Winter added that he plans to continue running his election campaign “to the end.”
“I am a fighter,” he stated. “I don’t stop a fight in the middle, and I will say more than that: I have never abandoned my fighters.”
Winter further described himself as a “public servant,” saying that he fights “for a path, not for a party.”
“We want change, and anyone who wants change – let them vote for the People of Israel,” he concluded.