Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister and Religious Zionist Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich are currently meeting Tuesday in the community of Eli in the Binyamin region with Rabbi Eli Sadan, founder of the Bnei David pre-military academy and rabbi of Ofer Winter, chairman of the Amcha Yisrael party.
The meeting comes amid growing efforts within the right-wing camp to persuade Winter to withdraw from the Knesset race, over concerns that votes cast for his party will not translate into Knesset seats.
According to assessments, Netanyahu and Smotrich are seeking to enlist Rabbi Sadan's influence over his former student in an attempt to convince him to withdraw from the race.
The meeting was arranged following internal polls received yesterday that raised concerns about damage to the right-wing bloc's electoral prospects due to the potential loss of hundreds of thousands of votes to small parties that fail to cross the electoral threshold.
The visit comes one day after Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz announced his withdrawal from the Knesset race, a decision that intensified calls on the right for parties polling below the electoral threshold to take similar action.
Finance Minister and Religious Zionist Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich appealed yesterday to Winter and the leaders of other parties, calling on them to withdraw from the race.
"The left is now organized, with zero wasted votes. Unfortunately, on the right, the situation is now completely the opposite. Ofer Winter, along with several other splinter parties that have absolutely no chance of crossing the electoral threshold, are gambling with the future of the State of Israel," Smotrich said.
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi joined the call, saying, "Gantz is demonstrating responsibility toward his friends on the left so that not a single vote is lost. It is time for the right to come to its senses as well. If Winter withdraws, I will take my hat off to him."
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also called on right-wing parties that are polling below the electoral threshold to withdraw from the race.
"The cost of wasting right-wing votes in these elections could be devastating. Show responsibility for the sake of the people of Israel and the Land of Israel," Sa'ar said.