Cadets said educational seminars are consistently held at religious academies in the West Bank or in religious kibbutzim. In one instance, a former senior IDF commander said in a lecture that ‘there are no uninvolved civilians in Gaza
Cadets and graduates of the Israeli military officers’ course have described what they say is a right-wing ideological tilt associated with religious nationalism within parts of the officer training system, with some lectures veering into overtly political content in violation of military regulations.
Speaking to Haaretz, one cadet said most guest lecturers share a similar ideological stance associated with religious nationalism. Graduates of the course also said educational seminars are consistently held at religious academies in the West Bank or in religious kibbutzim.
Religious nationalism in Israel, commonly referred to as religious Zionism, is an ideology that combines Orthodox Judaism with Zionism and has become an increasingly influential force in Israeli politics, particularly among supporters of Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank.
In one incident highlighted by cadets, former IDF commander Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter was invited to lecture cadets and used the platform to make overt political statements and sharply criticize former IDF chiefs of staff Gadi Eisenkot and Herzl Halevi.
According to attendees, Winter said “there are no uninvolved civilians in Gaza,” alleged that Eisenkot blocked his promotion for political reasons, and said Halevi removed him from military service for similar reasons.
Military regulations prohibit political activity in training programs.
The mother of one cadet told Haaretz she was “deeply concerned about the kind of army the IDF is becoming,” questioning why a controversial public figure was given a platform without senior officers objecting.
The IDF described the incident as a “failure” and said Winter had been invited as a volunteer to speak on “combat leadership.” The military said the lecture was not approved through proper channels and that procedures would be clarified. “The IDF will continue to uphold the value of bipartisanship and the spirit of the IDF, and keep political matters out of its gates,” it said.
In a statement to Haaretz, Winter said that since leaving the military after 34 years of service, he has frequently been invited to speak, on a volunteer basis, to IDF officer courses and other security organizations.
Winter said he presented cadets with two schools of thought regarding Gaza’s civilian population. “One school of thought holds that everyone in Gaza supports Hamas and that the group draws its strength from the population. The other argues the population is suffering and is being held hostage by Hamas,” he said.
According to Winter, both arguments lead to the same conclusion: the emigration of Gaza’s Palestinian population.
Winter also said that while he respects Eisenkot personally, he disagrees deeply with his security doctrine, adding that previous chiefs of staff “preferred to ignore criticism” and that “the results are known to all.”
Winter was released from active service in 2024 after twice being passed over for promotion to major general. In his final roles, he served as commander of the elite 98th Paratroopers Division, military secretary to the defense minister, and chief of staff of the Central Command headquarters.
His removal sparked political backlash from right-wing figures, who argued it was motivated by his religious beliefs. Winter is widely known for commanding the Givati Brigade during the 2014 Gaza war, when he issued a religiously explicit message to his troops before combat.
In a 2024 interview with Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11, Winter sharply criticized Halevi, using vulgar language to describe his decapitation and accusing him of being unfit for command. He also described a meeting held five days before the October 7 attacks in which he said Halevi rejected appointing him as military secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
PAJU NOTE:
Haaretz makes no apology for telling it like it is regarding the criminal acts of the apartheid regime in Tel Aviv and its policy of genocide and ethnic-cleansing of the Palestinians. In this respect, it is heads and tails above Canada’s corporate media (which includes the CBC/Radio-Canada). For those who wish to get the real news on the Occupation from a news source hated by Netayahu and the Israeli right, think about subscribing to Haaretz.
To subscribe to Haaretz: https://promotion.haaretz.com/offers
