Former Diplomat Urges Ofer Winter to Prioritize National Camp Over Personal Ambitions

Gilad Katz, former chief of staff to the Israeli Foreign Minister and Consul General in the US Southwest, has publicly addressed Ofer Winter ahead of Winter's announcement of a new political party. Katz urged Winter to prioritize the interests of the national camp above personal political ambitions. Winter is expected to reveal his party’s values and possibly some candidates in the coming hours, exercising his democratic right as a citizen.

Katz praised Winter as a serious individual with an impressive military record and a committed member of the national camp. However, Katz warned that Winter lacks political experience and that politics can be harsher than the military arena. Katz emphasized two core principles for any politician aligned with the national camp: the welfare of the national camp as a whole and the welfare of the State of Israel, which he sees as inseparable.

Katz criticized former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett for betraying the national camp by aligning with the left, comparing him unfavorably to Ariel Sharon, who also compromised on national camp values. Katz urged Winter not to listen to advisers who claim that Benjamin Netanyahu is not right-wing or that unity with the left is important. He stressed that the national camp overwhelmingly supports Netanyahu as its leader and that Winter has a role in a broad national government led by Netanyahu.

Katz concluded by warning Winter against illusions of personal political greatness that come at the expense of the national camp. He urged Winter to choose the "national path," which may be longer but is ultimately the right and shortest route to success, rather than a popular but ultimately fruitless path. Katz framed the national camp as a team where individual ambitions must be secondary to collective victory.