Lt. Col. Ofer Winter, one of the prominent figures in the IDF, this week officially announced his retirement after 34 years of service.
Brigadier General Winter is considered an experienced combat officer, he served as commander of the Givati Brigade, commander of a division, military secretary to the Minister of Defense and head of the headquarters of the Central Command. Although in the last year he did not hold an actual position in the IDF, he remained in the service waiting to compete for a promotion position as a general in the General Staff. Last May, as mentioned, he met with Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and he asked him to retire from the service.
Ofer Winter in an interview with Omari Essenheim and Roni Kovan (photo: PR, Kaan 11)
“Five days before the war, the Chief of Staff tells me – “The Prime Minister wants you for the position of his military secretary. I think you are not suitable. I ask that you resign and besides, I think that the Prime Minister’s request is irrelevant” – if I am the Prime Minister, his head will be splashed. Who are you, a brat! You are confused! You are a confused Chief of Staff,” Winter said in his first interview with Omari Assenheim and Roni Cuban in Khan 11, in the investigative program “Yahya Tov”.
The Prime Minister’s Office stated: If the words of Brigadier General (Ret.) Ofer Winter are indeed true, this is a serious incident. In a democratic country, the Chief of Staff is subject to the political echelon and must keep his political or personal opinions to himself.
Later, the IDF spokesman responded to the interview: The things attributed to the Chief of Staff by Brigadier General Ofer Winter were not said. The meeting in question is recorded in the Office of the Chief of Staff.
The full interview will be broadcast on Sunday, 15.12.24, 21:30, here 11
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