Israel’s 3.25% electoral threshold could leave small parties without seats on Oct. 27, and Ynet reported that Netanyahu and Smotrich asked Rabbi Eli Sadan to persuade Amcha Yisrael leader Ofer Winter to withdraw.
Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who leads Religious Zionism, met Rabbi Eli Sadan in the occupied West Bank on Oct. 20, according to Ynet. Sadan is close to Ofer Winter, leader of Amcha Yisrael. The politicians wanted Sadan to persuade Winter to withdraw, Ynet reported. N12 separately reported the meeting and its purpose.
A party list must receive at least 3.25% of valid votes to win seats in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset. Voters who choose a list below that threshold gain no representation through it. Ynet reported that Netanyahu and Smotrich showed Sadan polls and argued that votes for small parties could cost the right-wing bloc seats.
Winter accused the two politicians of trying to pressure him into withdrawing. He said Amcha Yisrael would remain in the election and offer right-wing voters another choice.
Winter founded the party in August, The Associated Press reported. After an early rise in support, it was struggling to reach the threshold, AP said. Ynet also reported that Ayelet Shaked invoked her experience with the New Right in 2019 when assessing the risk faced by a small party.
Earlier polling left both major blocs short of a Knesset majority. Neither reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in that polling average, making the performance of smaller parties consequential to the contest for seats.
Israelis vote on Oct. 27. The Central Elections Committee has scheduled publication of the results for Nov. 4, after which forming a government will be a separate process.
