Winter launches party, challenging Netanyahu's 'clean sweep' promise

In the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, a strong sentiment swept through Israel: a demand for a complete overhaul of leadership across politics, the military, and intelligence services. The phrase "Sweep the bums out" captured the public mood, reflecting a desire for new faces untainted by the failures that led to the horror. This sentiment also extended to those outside government who contributed to a divisive national climate.

However, as the country approaches elections, the anticipated political clean sweep has not materialized. Familiar figures remain at the forefront of party lists. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, bearing ultimate political responsibility for October 7, leads the Likud. Gadi Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff during the period when containing Hamas became policy, heads Yashar. Avigdor Liberman, a long-serving senior official, leads Yisrael Beytenu. Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid have also held significant decision-making roles for over a decade.

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Sweep the bums out.

While these veteran figures do not all bear equal responsibility for October 7, they have been involved in shaping the policies that led to the current situation. New faces, including survivors, bereaved relatives, and civil society leaders, are present on party lists but are generally positioned further down. The established figures continue to dominate the top spots, indicating that many who were in power then will remain so.

A notable exception to this trend is Ofer Winter, a former IDF brigadier-general who launched his People of Israel (POI) party. Winter's slate features a diverse group of individuals, including Arab-Israeli public diplomacy activist Yoseph Haddad, who played a key role in countering anti-Israel propaganda. Laly Derai, who became a public voice after her son was killed in Gaza, and former Channel 13 journalist Netali Shem Tov, whose home was evacuated due to Hezbollah fire, are also part of the new party. Sigal Kraunik, whose husband died defending Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7, is another member. At the party launch, Derai explained her motivation for entering politics, emphasizing the need for new leadership.

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Ofer Winter's People of Israel party sees experience as baggage