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Ofer Winter

Ofer Winter (left) takes the applause at the launch of his People of Israel party, in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90); Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a vote in the Knesset, July 16, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
David Horovitz
Op-ed
David Horovitz
Netanyahu feels the Winter chill
With two months until the election, the prime minister is facing a potent challenge within his own camp -- from an ex-general determined to conscript the ultra-Orthodox and adamant that the political sphere has to change in the wake of the October 7 catastrophe
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls on Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich to unite in a video posted to his Telegram channel, August 27, 2026. (Screenshot/Telegram)
August 27, 2026, 9:59 pm
Netanyahu urges Ben Gvir, Smotrich to unite as poll shows Winter’s new party surging
Times of Israel poll gives Winter 6 seats, pushing Religious Zionism below the threshold; PM warns fractured right could sink the whole bloc, but Ben Gvir accuses him of planning to double-cross them
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the Negev Conference in the southern city of Dimona, southern Israel, July 17, 2026. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)
August 27, 2026, 4:06 pm
With debutant Winter poised to cannibalize his bloc, Netanyahu has reason to sweat
New People of Israel party seen as most likely to draw votes away from PM’s coalition allies, as well as his own Likud, with rivals and other small right-wing factions already siphoning away support
By Sam Sokol
Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats party, speaks during a party rally at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, July 25, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
August 26, 2026, 11:27 pm
Democrats chair Yair Golan said to request security detail due to threats on his life
Request reportedly cites posts saying Golan should be hanged, shot, maimed; Eisenkot trades barbs with hawkish newcomer Winter as PM’s glumness on Likud’s chances is backed up by poll
By Sam Sokol
Ofer Winter at the launch of his new People of Israel party in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 26, 2026, 4:43 pm
Ofer Winter’s disciplined political launch threatens to upend the right-wing bloc
The former IDF general’s new People of Israel party unveiled a surprisingly diverse slate on Tuesday, openly challenging Netanyahu and refusing to back down under fire
By Shalom Yerushalmi
Ofer Winter at the launch of his new People of Israel party in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 25, 2026, 11:57 pm
Winter launches nationalist ‘People of Israel’ party; Netanyahu warns it could doom the right
Controversial ex-general says Israelis will no longer accept same political faces after Oct. 7; does not mention PM; unveils diverse slate including Arab-Israeli influencer Yosef Haddad
By Sam Sokol
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu votes in Jerusalem in the Likud primary election on August 17, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 25, 2026, 12:52 am
Lagging in polls, Netanyahu warns small right-wing parties could hand election to ‘fascist’ left
Fuming that a rash of new parties led by disaffected nationalists will waste vital votes, PM, whose coalition seeks oversight of media, claims opposition would restrict free speech, shutter his supportive Channel 14
By Sam Sokol
Former IDF general Ofer Winter seen near a demonstration against Haredi enlistment in the IDF in Jerusalem on August 4, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 20, 2026, 11:25 pm
Entering politics, ex-IDF general blasts 3 years of war without a ‘decisive result’
Controversial hawkish former commander Ofer Winter – set to launch a new political party next week – accuses sitting government of still living in pre-October 7 mindset
By Michael Bachner and ToI Staff
Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter arrives for the funeral of Asher Hayon, a former chief of staff and adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at a cemetery in Modiin, February 17, 2026. (Tal Gal/Flash90)
August 20, 2026, 1:33 am
Hawkish ex-general Ofer Winter expected to launch new party next week, shaking up the right
Billboards and video clip tease political run, though polls suggest non-aligned party may fail to enter Knesset and harm Netanyahu’s bloc if it doesn’t merge with others
By Sam Sokol and Michael Bachner
Ultra-Orthodox protesters demonstrate against an IDF recruitment conference for the Haredi community in Jerusalem, August 4, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 5, 2026, 2:27 am
Ex-general called ‘traitor’ as Haredi demonstrators riot at event for ultra-Orthodox draftees
Police decried as ‘Nazis’ as they intervene to protect a Haredi media adviser who says the protesters knocked off his kippa, tried to steal his laptop before cops put him in a taxi
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, attends a hearing during the premier's graft trial at the Tel Aviv District Court on December 18, 2024. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
February 22, 2026, 4:25 pm
Supreme Court refuses to allow PM’s chief of staff to appeal his release conditions
Judge says Braverman still barred from contacting Netanyahu or suspects in obstruction case, and from leaving country, after he asked to be allowed to begin role as envoy to UK
By Jeremy Sharon and ToI Staff
Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu waves to his supporters at his party's headquarters in Jerusalem, November 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
January 11, 2026, 7:32 pm
As dueling political camps harden, electoral deadlock heaves back into view
Polls show neither the pro-Netanyahu bloc nor parties allied against him have a clear path to forming the next government, with little chance of wooing support from the other side
By Shalom Yerushalmi
Protesters take part in a demonstration in support of the Palestinian people and to demand the end of the war in Gaza, in Surabaya, Indonesia, on February 2, 2025. (JUNI KRISWANTO / AFP)
March 26, 2025, 8:07 pm
100 Gazans set to move to Indonesia as part of pilot work program — report
If the trial is successful, Israel said to hope thousands will follow and possibly permanently resettle in south Asian country
By ToI Staff
IDF chief Herzi Halevi (right) speaks at an award ceremony at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, May 8, 2023. Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter (left) attends a Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting at the Knesset, on October 22, 2018. (Israel Defense Forces; Miriam Alster/Flash90)
December 12, 2024, 7:00 pm
Controversial ex-officer claims Halevi blocked appointment as PM’s military secretary
Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter says IDF chief told him PM’s recommendation ‘not appropriate,’ Winter ‘not suited’ for role; PMO: ‘Grave if true’; IDF denies it, says meeting recorded
By Lazar Berman
Then-Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter attends a Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting at the Knesset, on October 22, 2018. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
July 3, 2023, 6:59 pm
Ben Gvir said mulling general who called Gaza operation a ‘religious war’ as top cop
Ofer Winter also reportedly floated as possible candidate to head new national guard force the far-right minister is seeking to establish under his control
By ToI Staff
IDF chief Herzi Halevi (right) speaks at an award ceremony at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, May 8, 2023. Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter (left) attends a Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting at the Knesset, on October 22, 2018. (Israel Defense Forces; Miriam Alster/Flash90)
May 8, 2023, 8:28 pm
Halevi slams right-wing efforts to pressure IDF over promotion of top generals
After controversial officer again not advanced, and subsequent outrage, military chief says introducing ‘foreign considerations’ into appointments is ‘unacceptable, even dangerous’
By Emanuel Fabian
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