The chairman of the 'Amach Yisrael' party, Ofer Winter, declared this evening (Wednesday) that his party will recommend Benjamin Netanyahu for prime minister, but set a clear condition for its entry into the government: passing a service law that would require all young people to report and contribute even before the government is sworn in.
""We will not enter a government that does not put an end to evasion before it is formed. If that does not happen, we will not be in the government," he promised.
Winter also addressed the criticism his support for Netanyahu sparked - and apologized to those who were disappointed by the statement. "I would like to apologize to those who were disappointed. We will always tell you the truth! We will not lie. I say it explicitly - we do not serve a person, but a people.".
Winter added that the party does not rule out political connections, but said they would only be made with "new and clean people.".
Ofer Winter's full speech:
""Last week we set off at a good time. We established the Amach Yisrael party and presented to you our excellent team. A clean, new, honest team, a fighting team, that came to serve all citizens of Israel. Not just one sector or another.
We are not sectoral. We are your people, Israel.
In recent days, we have seen how various elements are trying to break us up by any means, in any way. They are spreading spin and lies about us, educating us, publishing ads, trying to scare the public. The public is fed up with the old politics.
Friends, we are all here, together, to tell you in a clear voice: This will not work. The people of Israel are asking for something different. No more conspiracies and chairology. Yes to integrity, truth, and ideology.
The team sitting here behind me is united - united to act for the people. We have joined together from all corners of the country to bring true good news to the people of Israel. We are determined to serve at all costs the service members and their families and not make concessions to those who do not take part in national responsibility.
I pledge to you this evening, with all my friends here with me - we intend to bring about the integration of the Haredi public into the IDF without compromise and without delays. No more of the same. What was will not be. Those who have not succeeded in integrating Haredis into the IDF to date - will not do it in the future either.
Those who have failed in three years to establish a commission of inquiry that will gain broad public trust and lead to an investigation of the truth will not succeed in establishing one in the future. Those who have failed in three years to bring about a clear decision in Gaza will no longer succeed in doing so with the current composition.
If 'Amech Yisrael' is strong in the next government - these things will happen. And we are committed to that.
A few days ago, I said out loud that Amach Yisrael is part of the right-wing camp and will recommend Netanyahu as prime minister.
Many congratulated me for that, because they understood that we are in the right-wing camp and that we will clearly not go with Lieberman, Bennett and others who have already formed a government with the Muslim Brotherhood, and will not hesitate to do so again, and those who do not distinguish between Youssef Haddad and Mansour Abbas. Of the existing alternatives - we are simply not there. We are on the right.
And there were also those who were hurt by my words. They told me: 'We were excited by your announcement, we were so excited that there was good news for the people of Israel, you promised something new, - so Netanyahu??''
First, I would like to apologize to anyone who was disappointed. We will always tell you the truth! We will not lie.
I say it explicitly - we do not serve a person, but a people. We will not enter a government that does not pass a law before its establishment that puts an end to evasion and obliges everyone to show up and contribute. If this does not happen, we will not be in the government. Clear and unambiguous.
Every young man of military age will report to the state. No sector is above the law. Those who serve will receive. Those who contribute more will receive much more. Warriors and reserve soldiers will be the top national priority.
I repeat - the service law will be passed before the government is sworn in. Not a promise, not a clause in a coalition agreement, and not "after we form a government." No one will fool us. We do not intend to surrender. We will not fall, we will not fall apart, and we will not allow anyone to drive a wedge between us. We will not put two people here and two there. We are not looking for a work arrangement.
Start getting used to it - none of the members here came for a chair.
I say this to the people of Israel, to all my friends on the right, and to the Prime Minister - we did not embark on this path for our personal benefit or out of a whim - we have a clear path and we will insist on it.
Anyone who thinks that in the upcoming elections, on October 27th, twenty days after the anniversary of the October 7th massacre, there will be no protest vote here is living in a movie and disconnected from the ground! Where will the hundreds of thousands of young men and women who have no one to vote for go? They will not vote.
To them I say - 'Your people Israel' is your home.
It's important for me to say tonight, we are not closing the door to connections – but the connections will only be made with new and clean people.
We welcome anyone who wants to come to make amends and put the good of the people of Israel first, anyone who is not affected by the October 7 massacre, and anyone who comes to change the divisive and violent discourse that led us to the terrible massacre – our home is open to them.
"We continue forward together with all our might, not out of irresponsibility, but out of great responsibility - responsibility for the State of Israel, responsibility for the great generation that grew up here and fought here. Responsibility for the people of Israel and the future of all of us. On October 27th - there is someone to vote for.".
