Right-wing infighting and poll volatility eight days before election day

Ofer Winter's candidacy splits the right as polls show Likud gaining but the bloc still short of a majority.

Right-wing infighting and poll volatility eight days before election day — Ofer Winter held an election rally in Mevo Dotan today, attacking Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and claiming his offer to join the Likud went wrong. [^1] The former IDF brigade commander is running with a new party, and his candidacy has become the focal point of a bitter internal battle on the right. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi attacked Winter in an interview on Channel 14, saying his party is 'on the side of Palestine' and losing votes to the right. [^2] Itamar Ben Gvir, chairman of Otzma Yehudit, called on Winter to withdraw from the Knesset race, warning that a separate run could cost the right-wing bloc seats. [^3] A Channel 14 poll published this evening shows Likud under Netanyahu strengthening to 30 seats, up from 29, while Yashar! led by Gadi Eisenkot drops to 19. [^4] The right-wing bloc reaches 62 seats, while the left-wing bloc weakens to 45. [^4] Yet a News 13 poll published at the same time tells a different story: Eisenkot's party leads with 20 mandates, Likud is second with 18, and 52% of respondents want new elections if no bloc decides. [^5] The gap between the two polls — one conducted by NEXT DATA among 454 adults for Channel 14, the other by News 13 — reflects a deeply fragmented electorate. Netanyahu leads in suitability for prime minister with 56% compared to Eisenkot's 30% in the Channel 14 poll, but Eisenkot leads 46% to 38% in the News 13 survey. [^6] [^7] The right-wing bloc's path to 61 seats is complicated by Winter's campaign and by internal Haredi tensions. Eliyahu Stark, a Belz Hasidic representative on the United Torah Judaism list, said in recordings published by Kan News that his party is not committed to the Netanyahu-led bloc. [^8] Yinon Azulai of Shas, following Benny Gantz's retirement from politics today after losing about 40 seats in polls within two years, criticized the Change Bloc and called on Winter to withdraw: "This is not a time for ego, this is a time to save our country." Netanyahu himself warned this evening against a government supported by Ra'am, telling Channel 14 that Ra'am would demand the Interior Ministry and natu