Feiglin Accuses Ex-General Winter of Plagiarism, Outlines Gaza Plan

Moshe Feiglin, chairman of the Zehut party, has accused former IDF Chief of Staff Ofer Winter of being a "copycat" whose political platform borrows heavily from Zehut's own. Feiglin stated that Winter has "many quotes from our platform" and that while other parties may cite specific points, only Zehut offers a complete ideology for fundamental change. Feiglin also criticized the government's strategic failures, particularly in relation to Gaza, and presented his party's dramatic plan for the Strip.

Feiglin elaborated on his critique, suggesting that the "villa in the jungle" security concept, which he believes led to the dismantling of the ground forces, is a continuation of the Oslo Accords. He argued that a strong ground army is crucial for Israel's strategic security and is a derivative of a broader worldview that sees Israel as a large Jewish power aiming to hold onto any attacked territory. This, he contended, includes settlement in all of Gaza, expulsion, and settlement, ideas he claims Winter has not dared to articulate.

Regarding Gaza, Feiglin advocated for opening the gates to encourage emigration, stating that Israel's current policy, which involves sending aid trucks, stems from an "Oslo mentality" that wants Gazans to remain. He vowed not to sit in a government that allows aid trucks into Gaza, holding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, and Itamar Ben-Gvir responsible for the current situation.

In response, a statement from Minister Ben-Gvir's office asserted that he was the sole minister to oppose and vote against sending aid trucks to Gaza. The statement suggested that voting for Feiglin would result in another Smotrich, while voting for Ben-Gvir would strengthen someone fighting against aid delivery.

Feiglin also expressed optimism about Zehut's electoral prospects, believing a two-digit mandate is still possible and that the party is polling significantly higher than in the past. He emphasized that only Zehut can bring about the necessary change, distinguishing it from parties that merely claim to be new.