Ofer Winter: Netanyahu approved my run, then Likud attacked

Ofer Winter in interview with Yossi Ben Attar (Photo: Srugim) (Srugim studio (Photo: Srugim))

Ret. Colonel Ofer Winter, chairman of the Amech Yisrael party, sat down with Srugim's election broadcast and delivered one of the most revealing interviews of the current campaign, including a disclosure that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave him approval to launch an independent party, only to see the entire right-wing establishment turn on him days later.

"This is a hazing by the old guard — I won't play by these rules"

Asked about the negative campaign he has faced from Likud and national-camp leaders despite the high expectations placed on him by right-wing voters since his famous speech during Operation Protective Edge, Winter admitted he had not anticipated the intensity of the attacks.

"I admit this isn't what I thought would happen," he said. "It's like when young guys arrive at a veteran unit and the old-timers haze them, what we know from the army. But let me tell you something: a new commander has arrived in this sector, and he doesn't play by these rules. I won't descend to that level."

Winter said the campaign against him has cost tens of millions of shekels and included targeted efforts to dismantle his list. "They're busy not telling you what they're good at, but stepping on you to climb higher. They've invested tens of millions in this campaign, gone to rabbis, to people's homes, called and tried to break us apart. They went to Rav Sadan to try to get him to pressure me. But I believe: 'No weapon formed against you shall prosper... this is the heritage of the servants of Hashem.' I'm a servant of Hashem, I'm not afraid of anything."

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The disclosure: the conversation with Netanyahu before launch, and the 180-degree turn

Winter, who once served as Netanyahu's military secretary, revealed surprising details about the conversation he held with the prime minister on the eve of launching his campaign.

"We spoke before we went out with this campaign. Netanyahu also understood that the right needs a new party of new people, who won't be part of the same conception, and in order to bring a broad right-wing government. He understood that this was fine and this is what needed to happen."

But immediately after the party's launch, reality changed completely.

"Suddenly there was a 180-degree turn, something went wrong and changed, something irrational. The moment we launched the party they panicked, because a large part of my people actually wanted them to be placed in Likud and they didn't want to enter Likud. From the beginning their strategy was 'let's crush them.' You're not crushing us, you're crushing the hope of the people of Israel."

The threshold question: "The right is in a conception again"

Given that most polls do not predict his party will cross the electoral threshold, Winter was asked why he is not fulfilling his promise to show responsibility and withdraw so as not to waste votes for the right.

He rejected the claim forcefully. "My responsibility is to the path. I'm arguing that the right and the people surrounding Netanyahu are in a conception, exactly as they believed the IDF that Hamas was deterred. I warned about the conception when I was in the IDF, they didn't like to hear it and pushed me aside. Now I'm warning again."

As for the numbers on the ground, Winter claimed: "Our data and also Direct Polls' show we're close to five mandates. We need the public to give us the fifth mandate, help us and we'll be the surprise of the election."

Asked how he would feel if it turns out in hindsight that he burned tens of thousands of votes for the national camp, he replied firmly: "I'll feel excellent because I did my hishtadlus. Whoever burned votes is whoever decided to crush Amech Yisrael, this is a joint campaign by Netanyahu and Smotrich from the day it was born. The public will cast a protest vote."

The goal for the next government: Defense portfolio and changing the conception of victory

As for the day after, Winter made it clear he does not rule out sitting under Netanyahu, despite the bad blood. "Every day I work on my middos and tell myself 'and my soul shall be like dust to all.' I'm a true public servant and I don't take it personally. I won't run to make a government with Mansour Abbas and Yair Golan like others did here. We'll fix things from within."

Asked what role he would demand in a right-wing government, he declared: "I intend to change the security conception, from containment to initiative, decision and emigration. The time has come for them to stop talking about 'absolute victory' and actually win a victory. This is also what will free our reserve system, which is being worn down with hundreds of battalions a year and is severely damaging the economy." He also emphasized that the Amech Yisrael party will remain in the political system going forward.

Srugim panel: "Winter has become the most talked-about person in the election campaign"

After the interview aired, the studio panel discussed the conversation. Host Yossi Ben Attar shared his impressions from the encounter: "The fascinating thing is his transition from a figure of great promise after the speech in Protective Edge, when all the right was just waiting for him to enter, to someone receiving a campaign of rejection. The main revelation here is the meeting with Netanyahu right before the candidacy, when there was understanding and tacit agreement, and suddenly everything flipped."

Panel members also addressed the political contacts that preceded the closing of the lists, noting that Bezalel Smotrich laid far-reaching offers before Winter, but Winter refused in order not to connect with those he sees as part of the conception. The discussion also mentioned negotiations that did not ripen with Leitner around spots 5-6 on the list, which would have put both of them in safe territory.

In conclusion, the panel members summed up Winter's standing on the eve of decision: "In the end, Winter achieved one clear thing: he's become the most talked-about person in the current election campaign. We'll all be biting our nails at ten at night not only to see how much Likud got, but how much Ofer Winter got."