Ex-General Ofer Winter Declares Palestinian People Don't Exist, Tears Oslo Accords

Ofer Winter, a former IDF general and the leader of the right-wing Amkha Israel party, sparked controversy on Thursday by stating that the Palestinian people do not exist. He then publicly tore what he presented as a copy of the Oslo Accords. The event took place at an international conference on combating terrorism, held at Reichman University, just weeks before Israel's October 27 legislative elections.

"The Palestinian people do not exist. It is a lie. There is no Palestinian state. The sole objective of this idea is the destruction of the State of Israel," Winter declared to the attendees. He emphatically rejected any possibility of establishing a Palestinian state, stating, "There is no question of negotiating over our homeland. Never, never will a Palestinian state be created here!" To underscore his point, Winter tore a document he identified as a copy of the Oslo Accords, signed in the 1990s between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), declaring, "The Oslo Accords no longer exist."

During his speech, Winter also called for the disarmament of the Palestinian Authority, arguing that its security forces' weapons violate existing agreements and could be used against Israel. He warned that an attack similar to the October 7 Hamas massacres could originate from Judea and Samaria, potentially causing twenty times more casualties. "We had the opportunity to disarm the Palestinian Authority over the last three years, and nothing was done. It is time to wake up," he urged.

These statements come as Winter attempts to establish his new party, Amkha Israel, in the Israeli political landscape. With three weeks remaining until the October 27 elections, most polls indicate his party is polling below the 3.25% electoral threshold required to enter the Knesset.