🗳️ NETANYAHU PRESSES BEN-GVIR AS WINTER SIGNALS INDEPENDENT RUN: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Itamar Ben-Gvir to unite with Bezalel Smotrich, saying: “I’ll invite them in the coming days.”
Eighteen minutes later, Ben-Gvir rejected the proposal: “You want to unite us in order to diminish me.”
Netanyahu responded: “I can't believe you're hurting the bloc because of personal interests.”
Ben-Gvir replied: “Bibi, you yourself told me that it would be better for Winter and Smotrich to run together.”
Winter separately announced: “We will recommend only Netanyahu, but we don’t work for him.”
The accompanying political analysis described Netanyahu’s move as the beginning of a pressure campaign and argued that Netanyahu now understands Winter intends to run independently and is acting accordingly.
Likud sources nevertheless said they remain uneasy despite Winter’s declaration, saying he left some loose ends and noting that Bennett made similar statements in the past.
Amit Segal asked: “Has Ben-Gvir managed to avoid coming under Netanyahu’s pressure until now, and is tonight the first time that has changed?”
📊 CHANNEL 14 POLL: RIGHT-WING BLOC AT 63: A new Channel 14 poll gives Likud 31 seats, Yashar 23, Shas 10, Democrats 9, United Torah Judaism 7, Together 7, Otzma Yehudit 7, Hadash-Ta’al-Balad 7, Yisrael Beiteinu 6, Ra’am 5, Religious Zionism 4 and Am Yisrael, Winter’s party, 4.
Channel 14’s bloc breakdown gives 63 seats to the right-wing bloc, 45 to the left bloc and 12 to Arab parties. The poll therefore places both Winter and Smotrich at four seats.
Parties shown below the electoral threshold are Zehut at 1.7%, Bayit Tzioni/HaMiluimnikim at 1.1%, Blue and White at 0.4%, HaAchdut at 0.3% and Noam at 0.3%.
⚖️ ATTORNEY GENERAL’S STAFF ORDERS CANCELLATION OF RABBI OVADIA YOSEF MEMORIAL: The Attorney General’s staff ordered the cancellation of a memorial ceremony for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef that is mandated by law. Their reasoning was that because Rabbi Ovadia Yosef is identified with Shas, the event would constitute party propaganda even if no political statements were made.
The director-general of the Ministry of Religious Services responded: “This is contrary to the law, but if you cancel this, then cancel the Rabin memorial ceremony as well, since he is identified with the left and the Labor Party.”
Shas said: “The outrageous and brazen demand by the dismissed Attorney General to cancel the prayer and memorial rally for Maran, our Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory, on the grounds that it constitutes ‘election propaganda,’ is a grave affront to Maran’s memory and to the vast public in the State of Israel that follows in the path of his legacy. It is also a blatant trampling of the law, which was unanimously approved by the Knesset plenum and mandates that the rally be held. We will not allow the Attorney General, who serves the left, to harm Maran’s memory, and we will use every legal means available to overturn the decision.”
🔁 Know someone who should see this? Forward it.
🌐 Full updates & discussion: https://www.israelrealtime.com