Ex-IDF Chief's Adviser Praises Ofir Winter's New Party Launch Amid Political Jabs

On Tuesday evening, Ronen Manlis, adviser to former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, unexpectedly praised the launch event of retired Brigadier General Ofir Winter's new right-wing party, "Amcha Yisrael." Manlis encouraged Winter to run forward, calling the event "very high-level" and expressing support by saying, "Your success is our success. Run, Ofir, run."

However, the compliment quickly sparked a series of barbed exchanges regarding Winter's military career and his stalled promotion to Major General. Eli Feldstein, a close associate of Winter and former spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, responded sarcastically to Manlis, noting, "Well done, you always supported Ofir. This time, no one will stop his promotion." This jab referenced Winter's long-standing expectation to be promoted, which had not materialized.

Manlis replied, defending the former Chief of Staff, stating, "The last Chief of Staff who gave Ofir a rank and promoted him certainly won’t be the one to stop his promotion, unless you meant Kochavi."

Meanwhile, Channel 14, which recently launched a campaign against Winter, took Manlis's supportive tweet seriously and raised concerns about a possible future alliance between Winter and the political left. Channel 14 panelist Yaki Edmakar and reporter Noam Amir warned that this was not a cynical tweet but a strategic move, suggesting, "Winter could go to the other side."

This exchange highlights the complex political dynamics surrounding Winter's new party launch and the ongoing debates about his military legacy and political future.