Ex-Military Official Ofer Winter Enters Politics, Criticizes Security Establishment
Ofer Winter, former military secretary to the defense minister and commander of the Givati Brigade, has entered politics as the chairman of the "Am Israel" party. In a recent interview, Winter criticized the current security concept, stating that despite actions taken, Israel remains deeply entrenched in a flawed security doctrine. He asserted that the country has not achieved decisive victories in any arena, citing the lack of Palestinian emigration from Gaza and a failure in governance.
Winter outlined his principles for a necessary security approach, emphasizing the right to the land, the need for swift decision-making, and Israel's sole responsibility for its security, rejecting reliance on foreign entities or technocratic governments in Gaza. He also accused the military leadership during his tenure as military secretary in 2018 of misleading the political echelon to avoid military action in Gaza, alleging the IDF chief of staff and military spokespersons lied to the cabinet.
He specifically criticized former IDF Chief of Staff and "Yashar!" party chairman Gadi Eisenkot, questioning his judgment based on his appointments. Winter expressed his ambition to serve as defense minister and suggested that Haredim could be drafted into the military without special legislation, arguing that existing laws already mandate service for all Israelis and that the focus should be on facilitating their integration while respecting their way of life. He claimed that efforts to draft Haredim have been ongoing for 20 years without success due to the military's conduct.
Addressing concerns about a potential repeat of past political maneuvers, Winter affirmed his strong right-wing ideology and stated he would not cooperate with Yair Golan or Gadi Eisenkot. His goal is to establish a broad right-wing government that is not dependent on smaller factions. He also advocated for disqualifying Arab parties that act against Israel's existence, distinguishing between his party member Yosef Haddad and Arab Knesset members whom he accused of supporting a Palestinian state and failing to condemn Hamas.
