Ben Gvir preaches to Vinter, but forgot that he twice burned tens of thousands of votes

Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called on Ofer Vinter to withdraw from the Knesset race, claiming his party will not pass the electoral threshold. In an interview with Channel 14, Ben Gvir said that a separate run would harm the right-wing bloc. The article notes that Otzma Yehudit failed twice in the past to pass the electoral threshold.

Chairman of Otzma Yehudit, Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, called on Ofer Vinter to withdraw from the Knesset race, claiming his party is not expected to pass the electoral threshold. In an interview with Boaz Golan on Channel 14, Ben Gvir said that a separate run could cost the right-wing bloc seats and thwart the formation of a government. He recalled his personal experience when he ran and did not pass the threshold, and called on Vinter to "show responsibility." The article notes that Otzma Yehudit failed twice in the past to pass the electoral threshold: in September 2019 it received 83,609 votes, and in March 2020 it received 19,402 votes. Ben Gvir also addressed tensions with Likud and Prime Minister Netanyahu, saying he is troubled by Netanyahu's statements that he will serve as a "senior minister" without specifying which portfolio he will receive. He attacked the possibility of a unity government with Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party, calling it a "paralysis government." Ben Gvir stated that if his party is large enough, he will demand the defense portfolio and promote a policy of conquering the Strip, encouraging emigration, and dismantling the Palestinian Authority.