Winter's comrades-in-arms in dramatic plea: "Ofer my brother, stop"

Four senior reserve officers, comrades-in-arms of Ofer Winter, are calling on him to withdraw from the Knesset race a day before the elections, fearing a loss of votes below the electoral threshold and damage to the right-wing bloc's chances of forming a government.

Four senior reserve officers, comrades-in-arms of Ofer Winter, issued an unusual call to the chairman of the 'Amcha LeYisrael' party to withdraw from the Knesset race, a day before the elections. In a joint statement published by Brig. Gen. (res.) Erez Wiener, Brig. Gen. (res.) Prof. Gabi Siboni, Col. (res.) Hezi Nechama, and Brig. Gen. (res.) Harel Knafo, the four warned that the candidacy of a party that will not pass the electoral threshold could lead to a loss of votes and harm the national camp's chances of forming the next government. The officers expressed appreciation for him but argued that he should give up the race. The most personal appeal came from Knafo, who addressed Winter as an old friend: "Ofer my brother, do the right thing." The call comes against the backdrop of concern in the right-wing camp over the loss of votes to parties that will not pass the electoral threshold, which stands at 3.25% of valid votes.