A blow to Winter: Davidi Ben-Zion quits Amcha Yisrael party

Davidi Ben Zion, deputy head of the Samaria Regional Council, has withdrawn from Ofer Winter’s Amcha Yisrael party list, citing concerns that the party will fail to cross the electoral threshold and waste right-wing votes. “A month and a half ago, I joined Amcha Yisrael out of a sense of mission and humility. Ofer Winter is a true right-wing man, a fighter and commander who devoted his life to Israel’s security," Ben Zion wrote in his resignation statement. “Two weeks before the election, the risk of failing to cross the threshold appears high. I am not willing to let the votes of people who believed in this path go to waste." Ben Zion recalled rushing with his battalion to Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7 and completing hundreds of days of reserve duty since then, saying he had learned that “the mission comes before everything else." Amcha Yisrael claimed Ben Zion’s decision followed pressure, threats and harassment targeting him and his family. The party thanked him for their shared journey and expressed regret over what it described as attempts to prevent new forces from entering Israeli politics. Winter accused right-wing figures of waging a personal campaign against his party’s candidates, alleging that signs had been placed near their homes and children’s transportation routes and that threats had been made against Ben Zion. “I understand Davidi and the pressure he faced, and that his wife could not withstand it," Winter said. “This is not the way of the right. We do not surrender in battle. Sometimes there are wounded; that is how it is." Yoseph Haddad, another candidate on the list, also condemned what he called an “ugly campaign" funded with enormous sums to crush the party. “Our foundations are stronger than any pressure. We are moving forward with full force," Haddad wrote. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Ben Zion’s withdrawal, saying Winter’s candidacy threatened the right-wing bloc and could lead to a left-wing government led by Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Avigdor Liberman, Naftali Bennett and the Arab parties. He urged the remaining candidates to follow Ben Zion’s example. Finance Minister and Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich called the withdrawal “a brave and difficult step of national responsibility," praising Ben Zion for demonstrating “civilian courage." Smotrich also urged Winter to withdraw, citing polls showing his party below the electoral threshold. “I call on Ofer Winter, who has demonstrated military courage for many years, to show civilian courage as well and announce his withdrawal," Smotrich said. He also appealed to candidates Eran Ben Ari and Lee Deri to follow Ben Zion’s lead, warning against risking a left-wing government. “Israel’s security is not something to gamble with," he said.