Ofer Winter Responds to Netanyahu, Urges Focus on Security
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Ofer Winter, Chairman of the Am Israel Party, responded to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reported remarks by urging him to focus on security and enlistment issues instead of political attacks. Winter's party also unveiled a "Servicemembers Plan" proposing increased soldier pay and new service tracks. The plan aims to prioritize combat soldiers and reservists, with a new service model based on reciprocity.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Ofer Winter criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu for focusing on political attacks instead of security issues.
- Winter's Am Israel Party unveiled a "Servicemembers Plan" to prioritize soldiers and reservists.
- The plan proposes doubling combat soldiers' pay and establishing new service tracks.
- Winter urged Netanyahu to address illegal weapons and truck traffic into Gaza.
- The plan includes a reciprocity principle for military and civilian service.
Ofer Winter, Chairman of the Am Israel Party and a retired Brigadier General, has responded to remarks attributed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which were reportedly made during a Likud faction meeting and revealed by C14. According to the report, Netanyahu stated that the Likud party should continue to attack Winter and his party, while also working to win back right-wing voters.
In a video response, Winter addressed Netanyahu directly, stating, "Prime Minister, it seems you are confused again." He urged the Prime Minister to shift his focus from political maneuvering against the Am Israel Party and the electoral threshold to pressing national security and civilian issues. Winter specifically mentioned reducing the flow of trucks into Gaza, curbing illegal weapons circulating in Israel, and increasing enlistment in the IDF.
Winter linked his remarks to his party's newly unveiled "Servicemembers Plan." This initiative aims to prioritize soldiers and reservists by proposing a new service model based on the principle of "give, receive; don't give, don't receive." The plan includes significantly raising the pay for regular soldiers and doubling the pay for combat soldiers nearing the end of their service.
Furthermore, the Am Israel Party's proposal outlines three legal service tracks for all draft-age citizens: military service in the IDF, national-civilian service, or a recognized and supervised religious seminary track. The plan suggests limiting the number of yeshiva students recognized as Torah scholars to 25% of the Haredi conscript cohort, based on security needs. It also calls for establishing dedicated IDF service frameworks, strengthening Defense Ministry oversight of religious institutions, and enacting legislation before the next government is sworn in, with semi-annual oversight reports to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
