IDF denies claim by general that Halevi criticized Netanyahu's decision-making, military denies cla

Brigadier-General (res.) Ofer Winter was interviewed by Israeli state broadcaster KAN, set to air on Sunday, where he alleged that IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request for Winter to become military secretary was "inappropriate." 

Winter held the positions of commander of the Fire Formation, military secretary to the defense minister, chief of staff of Central Command, and commander of the Givati Brigade. 

In a promo aired on Thursday, Winter disclosed a conversation with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi shortly before October 7 and the outbreak of the war.

“Five days before the war, the chief of staff tells me, ‘The prime minister is requesting you for the role of his military secretary. I don’t think you’re suitable. I’m asking you to resign, and besides, I believe the prime minister's request is inappropriate."

According to Winter, he responded by saying, “If I were the prime minister, his head would roll. Who do you think you are? You’re a confused chief of staff. You’re subordinate to the prime minister and the political echelon.”

"אם הייתי נתניהו, ראשו היה מותז. חוצפן": צפו במתקפה של תא"ל במיל' עופר וינטר על הרמטכ"ל - מתוך "יהיה טוב" עם רוני קובן ועמרי אסנהיים, ראשון, 21:30 בכאן 11@ronikuban @AssenOmri @kann @ReshetBet pic.twitter.com/gOSpgBhoJY

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) December 12, 2024

The Prime Minister’s Office responded, stating, “If the claims made by Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Ofer Winter is indeed true; this is a serious matter. In a democratic state, the chief of staff is subordinate to the political echelon and must keep his political or personal opinions to himself.”

IDF Spokesperson denies claims 

The IDF Spokesperson denied the claims, asserting, “The statements attributed to the Chief of Staff by Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Ofer Winter was not made. The meeting in question is documented in the chief of staff’s office.”

Winter responded to this, saying he has "heard a variety of claims from elements in the military system throughout [his] 30 years of service in the IDF, but [he has] never heard the word 'liar.'"

"I urge the Chief of Staff and his spokespersons to release the full recording in an unedited and unedited form (46 very clear minutes)," Winter added. "The public will hear and judge."

In May, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi informed Brig.-Gen. Winter of his discharge from the IDF, a decision that enabled the next round of senior appointments. Security sources at the time suggested that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir might offer Winter a position in the police force.

In July 2023, discussions about appointing Winter as military secretary to the prime minister surfaced. However, Winter's ongoing studies and the chief of staff's opposition left the matter unresolved.

As a battalion commander, Brig.-Gen. Winter was expected to achieve significant success. His career later included commanding the Givati Brigade during Operation Protective Edge, where he faced public controversy for issuing a letter invoking religious themes.

In 2016, Winter was appointed Chief of Staff of Central Command, a move criticized by those who anticipated his promotion to division commander. Two years later, he became the military secretary to various defense ministers, and in 2020, he commanded the 98th Division. His tenure included a groundbreaking large-scale exercise in Cyprus.

However, Winter's trajectory was marred in 2021 when he was reprimanded for an unauthorized meeting with then-Knesset member Naftali Bennett. Subsequently, younger officers overtook him in rank, and he embarked on a study leave.