Gantz refuses to quit election race as Netanyahu brands Winter ‘Bennett 2’

Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz declared Saturday night that he would remain in Israel's election race until the end, despite polls suggesting his party will fail to cross the electoral threshold. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intensified his campaign against Ofer Winter, leader of the Amcha Yisrael party, branding him "Naftali Bennett 2" in a video aimed at discouraging right-wing voters from supporting the former IDF general. "We're heading for disaster. We must stop it and save the country," Gantz said in a statement. "Politicians from both blocs oppose the unity I'm promoting with all my heart. They want a decisive victory. The division serves them politically. They're leading Israel toward another election, toward narrow governments that will tear us apart from within and cause our enemies to attack us again." Gantz argued that national unity was essential to confronting Israel's security threats and insisted he would not abandon his campaign. "I've decided not to surrender to our enemies. To fight our enemies, I must fight for unity among us, and that's why I'm running to the end," he said. The former defense minister also rejected accusations that his party would waste votes by remaining in the race despite weak polling. "I don't belong to either bloc. Anyone who claims I'm wasting votes is lying and is afraid. Anyone who votes for me is voting for unity, not for blocs," he said. Gantz claimed that enough potential supporters remained to give Blue and White at least six Knesset seats. "To them I say: You're not alone. Vote, and we'll save the country." Netanyahu: ‘Winter is Bennett 2’ Netanyahu, meanwhile, stepped up his attacks on Winter after Likud significantly intensified its campaign against the Amcha Yisrael leader last week. The party has sought to persuade potential Winter supporters to abandon him, warning that his candidacy could weaken the right-wing bloc or leave votes stranded below the electoral threshold. In a video published on his social media accounts, Netanyahu played a clip from a Channel 12 interview in which Winter said, "Bibi can go jump in a lake." Netanyahu responded by claiming Winter was under pressure because voters had begun to recognize him as another Naftali Bennett. "Well, that's clear. Winter is under pressure because he understands that you understand, and you understand that he's 'Bennett 2,'" Netanyahu said. He then invoked Bennett's decision to form a coalition with parties outside the traditional right-wing bloc, including the Islamist Ra'am party. "Bennett also promised, 'I'll go with the right,' and then went with the Muslim Brotherhood," Netanyahu said. The prime minister accused Winter of repeatedly attacking him, pointing to remarks by Winter's father on the day the party was launched, when he said Netanyahu should leave office. Netanyahu also alleged that senior figures in Winter's party supported the establishment of a Palestinian state, an apparent reference to Winter's No. 2, public diplomacy activist Yoseph Haddad. Netanyahu further attacked Winter's position on a commission of inquiry, accusing him of supporting an investigation led by what the prime minister called the "deep state." He then turned his criticism toward the media, claiming that news outlets had been promoting Winter's candidacy. Referring to a social media post by former IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, Netanyahu said: "And as Eisenkot's handler put it, 'Run, Winter, run.'" According to Netanyahu, the encouragement reflects a belief among his opponents that Winter could ultimately deliver right-wing votes to the left. "They know he'll transfer your votes to the left," he said. The prime minister ended with a direct appeal to his supporters: "When Israel's fate is at stake, you don't gamble. You vote Likud." Returning to his comparison with Bennett, Netanyahu added: "And one more thing: If it walks like Bennett and sounds like Bennett, it's Bennett."