Ofer Winter Campaigns in Mevo Dotan, Criticizes Military Strategy Ahead of Knesset Elections

Brigadier General (res.) Ofer Winter, leader of the newly formed Amcha Yisrael party, addressed voters in Mevo Dotan, a mixed secular-religious settlement in the northern Westphalia-Samaria region, as part of his campaign for the upcoming 26th Knesset elections. During the gathering, Winter criticized current military strategies and claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially offered him a spot in the Likud party before external pressures shifted the political dynamic.

Winter emphasized his security credentials, framing himself as a decisive military leader who would challenge established defense doctrines. "Security is my forte, and our enemies need to tremble," Winter told the audience, contrasting his aggressive military philosophy with what he termed the containment approaches of former military chiefs. He argued that the military leadership under former officials like Gadi Eisenkot and Herzi Halevi failed to achieve total victory in the ongoing Gaza war, asserting that the state remains trapped in flawed strategic conceptions.

Addressing voter skepticism regarding his electoral viability and his ability to navigate political compromises, Winter maintained that while Netanyahu remains his default choice for prime minister, he intends to operate independently on matters of national security. He also expressed support for key security appointments, praising the selection of David Zini as head of the Shin Bet and Roman Gofman as director of the Mossad, while arguing that the Ministry of Defense requires leadership willing to exert firm control over the military establishment.

During the interactive session, local residents pushed back against some of Winter's assertions, questioning his political pragmatism and his critique of the current government's handling of the conflict. Despite the tough questioning from the audience in Mevo Dotan, Winter insisted that his proposed strategy—involving strict blockades and population movement—was the only way to secure a definitive victory in the operation Iron Swords conflict and restore absolute regional deterrence.