Vinter Reveals Conversation With IDF Chief Before Oct. 7 Hamas Attack

Ofer Vinter, chairman of the "Ama Am Israel" party, has revealed details of a conversation he had with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi just days before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Vinter stated that during their discussion, Halevi informed him that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to appoint Vinter as his military secretary.

Halevi, however, opposed the appointment, telling Vinter, "I think you are not suitable. Your strategic thinking is not suitable for us in the General Staff," according to Vinter. The conversation took place only a few days before the October 7th attack.

Vinter's party decided to release these details now amidst an election campaign and ongoing political disputes surrounding "Ama Am Israel." The party has faced criticism from some senior Likud figures who reportedly view Netanyahu's attacks on Vinter's party as a mistake.

Sources within Likud suggest that Vinter could attract voters from the right, center, and even the left, presenting an alternative for those uncomfortable with parties like Likud, Bezalel Smotrich's, or Itamar Ben-Gvir's. Former Likud MK Yehuda Glick also criticized the attacks on Vinter, calling them a serious error and asserting Vinter's potential to draw broad voter support.