Senior Likud officials brief: "Winter is not part of the right-wing bloc"
Against the backdrop of Ofer Winter's announcement of his new party, senior Likud officials clarify that in their view he is still not part of the right-wing bloc, and express concern that after the elections…
Assessment
The Likud leadership is drawing a clear line against Ofer Winter before his new party even launches, signaling they see him as a threat rather than an ally. By publicly ruling him out of the right-wing bloc, they are trying to contain the damage and prevent other right-wing voters from treating him as a legitimate option. Winter's camp is betting on a large pool of disaffected right-wing voters, claiming 15 to 25 seats are up for grabs. The real test will be whether Winter can actually pull that many votes, or whether Likud's preemptive attack shrinks his ceiling before he gets started.