'NAZA' director has nothing to come back to in Israel, People of Israel chair Ofer Winter says

Israeli NAZA director Yuval Abraham has nothing to return to in Israel, People of Israel chairman Ofer Winter said during a Tuesday party rally in Rishon Lezion.

“An Israeli citizen, a Jew, receives thunderous applause for going out and smearing and defaming his own people,” he said, addressing Abraham. “I understand that you are afraid to return to Israel; you are right.”

“You have nothing to return to. Indeed, it is a disgrace and a shame to return after you spat in the faces of your own people.”

He added that even so, he would be happy to meet with Abraham face-to-face in order to explain “how ungrateful you [Abraham] are and how, even in another hundred years, you will not reach the level of morality of our soldiers.”

Further, he said that in the public diplomacy ministry he plans to establish, should he be elected to the next government headed by Yoseph Haddad, “this will not happen. He will not remain silent in the face of this blood libel.”

Winter: People of Israel party subject to right-wing attacks

Winter went on to note that it is “unpleasant” to have to “endure attacks from within the [right-wing] camp,” including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud, which he has done for three weeks.

Winter claimed that government ministers, MKs, and Likud candidates have levied comments such as “We need to bring him down,” and “The time has come to eliminate him” against him and others on the People of Israel list, which is made up of IDF reservists.

“These are the people you want to 'bring down'?” he asked. “The Ten Days of Repentance, and what is the prime minister occupied with? Feverish discussions about how to eliminate People of Israel.”

“You are presenting Netanyahu and the public with 64 seats without me, so what are you complaining about me for? If victory is already in the bag, then what do you want, what have I done to you? You want to bring down People of Israel? First bring down the number of reserve duty days served by our male and female soldiers.”

Winter accused those attacking him and his party of sending private investigators after them, sending hate messages and threats.

“We are here. All of us. Strong as one fist, and above all, not afraid, not of threats, not of intimidation,” he said. “Yes, there are people here who cannot be bought, and that will be the case in the next government as well.”

Winter slams Golan, Liberman in speech

Winter also slammed the Democrats party chair Yair Golan’s bid for government, saying that should his party not receive public support, Israel will see “ the arrogant face of Yair Golan, the one who said I was messianic and unworthy because I dared to recite the Shema prayer before battle in Gaza… And that is dangerous.”

Additionally, he accused Yisrael Beyteinu party head Avigdor Liberman of misleading voters.

“He tells them that he will bring a decisive victory and bring good news to the Right,” he said. “I am sorry, Avigdor, but whoever is counting on senior partners such as Yair Golan and Gadi Eisenkot in the government will not be able to achieve a decisive victory. With them, it simply cannot happen.”

He concluded his speech with a wish for a good year and the hope that People of Israel win.

“For every attack against us from the Right and the Left, there is one answer: voting for People of Israel,” said Winter.

In response, Liberman accused Winter of being hypocritical, noted that the IDF is subordinate to the government and therefore “the entire government, and the prime minister above all, bears responsibility for the October 7 massacre, the greatest tragedy in the history of the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”

He blamed the outcome on Netanyahu’s “conceptzia” policy during his 19 years as prime minister.

“So, enough with the hypocrisy and the sanctimony; learn to withstand pressure and start speaking the truth.”

In response to Liberman's remarks, the People of Israel party said that he couldn't influence anything while he was "sitting in the stands," telling him that only within a right-wing government could the enemy be defeated.

The Reservist party, led by Yoaz Hendel, also responded to Winter's statements, saying that he was "a determined fighter in the past," but that he was less determined as a politician.

"When Winter doesn't agree to put significant sanctions on draft evaders - he's given up in advance," the Reservists stated.