IDF’s command excuses are a cause for embarrassment. Ofer Winter is a Brigadier General in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) who served in many top command posts.
He says he received the legacy of the battle from his father David (Dotsu), who during the Yom Kippur War was a soldier in the 113th Battalion of the Armored Corps, and fought on both sides of the Suez Canal for 19 consecutive days.
On August 22, 2013, Winter was appointed commander of the Givati Brigade, and led the brigade, among other things, in Operation Protective Edge (Tzuk Eitan). At the beginning of the operation, on July 9, 2014, a “battle commander’s page” was published in which he wrote to the soldiers of the brigade. In addition to messages such as emphasizing compliance with the mission and the defense of the people and the homeland, he wrote:
“History has chosen us to be at the forefront of the fight against the terrorist enemy of Gaza, who insults and blasphemes the God of Israel’s battles. I raise my eyes to heaven and call with you ‘Hear Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’ O Lord, the God of Israel, please make our way successful, as we go and stand to fight for your people Israel against the enemy who hates your name.”
In May 2024, against the background of the Swords of Iron War another round of appointments was held. After Winter did not advance in it, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi agreed that Winter would end his service in the IDF.
Knesset members and ministers in the coalition and opposition, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Knesset members Avigdor Lieberman and Gideon Sa’ar criticized this decision.
During the first week of June 2024 Winter delivered a speech from which one can understand the IDF’s great loss of letting an officer such as Winter go.
Without the knitted skullcap, observant Jews wear, and his Zionist, Jewish, patriotic views and exceptional commanding ability, all which guide Major General Ofer Winter, he could have been the IDF Chief of Staff marching Israel’s army and Israel to a victory.
Ofer Winter Words
“I personally know most of the commanders at the field level, they do holy work, they are lions,” he stated. They do the best with what Israel has and do not whine and tell me, ‘I don’t have it’, ‘I lack it’, ‘if only I had a little more ammunition’, ‘if I had legitimacy, etc.'”
“The truth is that Israel has much more today than the fighters of the 1948 Independence War, and yet Israel won.”
“Israel has much more than it had in the 1967 Six Day War and much more than that in the 1973 Yom Kippur War and in these wars Israel won as well.”
“Israel is fighting against a much weaker enemy who is just a collection of tattered Arabs who call themselves Hamas.”
“And who are those so-called Hezbollah that because of their fired rockets and attack drones attacks Israel’s north is burning and residents have been evacuated?”
“Everything is in the mind and spirit.”
The Commander!
Brigadier General Ofer Winter: “The role of the IDF is to overwhelm the enemy, bring him to his knees and let him scream, enough, and without excuses and stories.”
Winter: “The enemy interprets Israel’s desire for peace as weakness. The role of the IDF is to make the people of Israel become a lion.” That was his job all these years.
“Although Israel really wants peace, the problem in the Middle East is that there is no choice but to understand that in order to make peace with someone, you must be a lion. If you are not a lion they will just eat you.”
Winter: “We don’t whine, we win with what we have. ‘We lack ammunition’, ‘we have no legitimacy’, is all confusion of the mind. Win with what you have.”
“The most amazing thing – who is this enemy anyway? Some tattered Arabs who call themselves Hamas and we tell ourselves it is difficult? I’m not underestimating, but it can be done very quickly. We take off our gloves, we fight properly.”
Winter: “In the 1967 Six Day War, the IDF dismantled all the Arab armies that attacked Israel in six days. What explanations or excuses did Israel have then? The war was against the Arab countries’ armies, not against Hamas brats. And who is Hezbollah? With all due respect, there is a threat. We are the strongest army in the Middle East because of our spirit.”
Brigadier General Ofer Winter then read from his famous letter he distributed to his soldiers at Operation Protective Edge and clarified: “Today there is no unit in the IDF that goes out to fight without shouting to the heavens. And the consolation? Your eyes see, the truth ends up winning.”
Now it is doubly understandable why the losers removed him from his IDF position. They are simply afraid of him.
There are other IDF officers in the field who speak in Winter’s style, but we have yet to hear such strong words from an IDF lieutenant colonel. And that voice cannot be silenced anymore. It will break through and win. Ofer Winter in Gaza would have led the IDF to the absolute great victory.
Chills, tears and excitement arise when Winter speaks. For the first time since October 7th, 2023, we hear an IDF commander speaks like a true Jewish leader, a warrior, a lion, and his words are like life-sustaining dew. Cold water for a tired soul.
