Ofer Winter Under Pressure to Rule Out Bennett
The pressure campaign reflects a broader concern on the right: that new figures with security credentials could enter politics, attract voters from the national camp, and then join broader unity or anti-Netanyahu coalitions.
A new campaign by the “Right-Wing Bloc” movement is targeting Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter, demanding that he clarify his political intentions and commit not to join a future government led by Naftali Bennett.
The campaign comes amid growing speculation about Winter’s possible entry into politics, with right-wing activists warning that his public image as a popular former commander could draw votes from the right and later be used to support a government they oppose.
The ad features half of Winter’s face with a kippah and the slogan: “Ofer, break your silence.”
The message draws directly on memories of previous political moves in which right-wing votes were, in the eyes of critics, transferred into governments with center-left or left-wing partners.
“We have already seen how votes are taken from the right and moved to the left,” the ad says. “We know what you were like as a commander, but we do not know what you will be like as a politician.”
The campaign then turns directly to Winter and demands a clear answer regarding his relationship with Bennett and possible future political alliances.
“So Winter, calm us all down and finally answer the question you keep avoiding: Do you commit that under no circumstances will you sit in a Bennett government, despite the deep friendship between you?”
Winter, a former senior IDF officer with a strong following among parts of the religious Zionist and nationalist public, has been mentioned repeatedly as a potential political figure ahead of the coming election. His military record gives him credibility with many right-wing voters, but his exact political direction remains unclear.
The pressure campaign reflects a broader concern on the right: that new figures with security credentials could enter politics, attract voters from the national camp, and then join broader unity or anti-Netanyahu coalitions.
For the “Right-Wing Bloc” movement, Winter’s silence is the problem. The campaign is meant to force him to choose publicly before voters decide whether to trust him politically.