Defense Minsiter Avigdor Lieberman, taking into advisement the recommendation of the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Gadi Eizenkot, decided to appoint Brigadiere General Ofer Winter to the position of Military Secretary to the Minister of Defense. This appointment replaces  Brig. Gen. Yair Kolus who served in that capacity ofver the past few years.

Winter currently serves as the Chief Officer of the Central Command Headquarters in the IDF. Previously, he was the head of the Givati brigade where he created and developed the Charedi infantry unit known as Tomer. He also served as the commander of the northern section of the Gaza periphery, the head of brigade 646, chief officer of the Duvdevan special forces unit, and the chief officer of the Gadsar special forces unit in Givati. Under Winter, the Duvdevani special forces were deployed for the first time in a live conflict in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009.

Lieberman tweeted the following shortly after the decision: “I have decided to appoint Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter as my Military Secretary. I am certain that a proven and experienced quality officer such as him will assist me greatly,”

Winter was recently overlooked for an appointment to the new position of Military Secretary for the Prime Minister, a position he coveted, and believed, according to some reports in the Israeli media, that he was passed over due to the fact that he is religious. Following the disappointment, he told associates that if he would no longer be able to grow in his career, then he would be forced to leave the IDF.

Winter is 47 years old, married and a father of eight children. Winter previously gained notoriety when he wrote in a letter to his soldiers the following statement which inflamed the left-wing politicos in Israel. “History has chosen us to spearhead the fighting against the terrorist ‘Gazan’ enemy which abuses, blasphemes and curses the God of Israel’s defense forces,”

Since then, Winter’s career has stagnated, and he believed that this most recent disappointment was due to that same glass-ceiling which he had struck. However, the new appointment opened up new career paths and possibilities for the high-ranking religious officer.

In his famed letter, Winter also wrote: “I cast my eyes heavenward and call out with you: “Shema Yisroel, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad. Hashem, G-d of Israel, please pave the way that we are to go and fight for your nation Am Yisroel against an enemy that blasphemes your name successful.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)