Likud optimistic: Found treasure of 3 seats, not with Winter or change bloc

Likud sees potential to recover supporters who abstained from voting in the previous election, and meanwhile the party is engaged in an internal debate over strategy toward Winter, between continued pressure on him to withdraw and a surplus agreement.

Likud sees potential to recover 2-3 seats from supporters who stayed home in the previous election, and meanwhile an internal debate is ongoing in the party about whether to continue pressuring Winter to withdraw or sign a surplus agreement with him. Party members fear that continued attacks on Winter will only increase votes that could fall below the electoral threshold, and in their view it's better to stop attacking him. A party official said: 'A lot of people think it's a mistake' to continue trying to bring him down, and added that Winter could reach four to five seats and cross the electoral threshold.

The debate remains at this stage within Likud and is not being conducted as a public confrontation with Netanyahu, even though opposition to the strategy toward Winter is heard in internal conversations. In Netanyahu's circle they fear that Winter might after the election join Avigdor Lieberman, so the line toward him is not changing for now. Those seeking to change the policy toward Winter are not receiving this assessment, and point out that he is counted in polls as part of Netanyahu's bloc and is not distancing himself from it.