Ofer Winter's IDF Career: Professional, Disciplinary Issues, Not Religious Bias, Drove Stalled Promotion

Claims by far-right politicians and media figures that former IDF Brigadier General Ofer Winter was not promoted to Major General due to his religious observance are false, according to an analysis of his military career. Politicians like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and MK Moshe Gafni, along with outlets such as Channel 14 and TOV, have asserted that a "sectoral glass ceiling" prevented the promotion of religious officers, citing Winter's case.

However, the article contends that Winter's stalled promotion stemmed from documented professional and disciplinary concerns raised by his superiors, not religious discrimination. Several other religious officers have been promoted to Major General during the same period. The analysis points to specific incidents, including Winter's unauthorized meeting with then-Prime Minister-elect Naftali Bennett in June 2021, which earned him a reprimand from then-Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi. This reprimand is considered a significant factor in promotion decisions.

Further contributing factors cited include Winter's controversial religious-nationalist sermon to his troops before entering Gaza during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, and his actions during the "Black Friday" incident in Rafah that same operation, where his orders regarding Hannibal Directive were questioned by a state comptroller report. Additionally, his public criticism of the current IDF chief of staff and his alleged statement about Prime Minister Netanyahu's head being severed, which was denied by the IDF, are presented as evidence of blurring lines between military and political roles.

The article also addresses the broader issue of religious representation in the IDF, noting that while religious-nationalist soldiers are well-represented in lower officer ranks, their presence in senior command positions is closer to their proportion in the general Jewish population. This disparity is attributed to the time it takes for officers to ascend through the ranks, with the current surge in religious cadets expected to lead to greater representation in senior command in the coming decades.

Winter, who recently launched his own political party, "Am Echad Israel," left the IDF in May 2024. His departure followed a period of not holding an official role since September 2022, a common reason for senior officers' release from service. The article refutes Winter's recent claim that the former IDF chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, asked him to resign days before the October 7th attack, with the IDF denying these specific statements.