Media members today (Thursday) called on the IDF spokesman to reveal the recording of the conversation between Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Brigadier General (res.) Ofer Winter - after the IDF spokesman claimed that the meeting between the two was recorded.
Commentator Amit Segal wrote: "What is required is to reveal the documentation so that it is clear to everyone whether the Chief of Staff did indeed act against the Prime Minister or whether he fell victim to a lie by a retired officer.".
Akiva Novik from Kan News: "What reason does the Chief of Staff's office have to refuse to publish a transcript of the meeting with Winter now? The man claims that a very clear sentence was said there. The Chief of Staff claims that the sentence was not said. It's 0 or 1. Why leave it word for word when there is a recording?".
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Michael Shemesh, the political correspondent for 'Kan Hades', wrote that the published quotes raise questions: "What happened in the Chief of Staff's office is far beyond this or that quote that may or may not have happened: Netanyahu and the Chief of Staff need to explain to the public why a person the Prime Minister allegedly requested on the eve of the war to appoint to the position of Joint Chiefs of Staff - was not appointed. Up until this moment, none of them have given an answer to this question.".
Brigadier General (reserve) Ofer Winter revealed in an exclusive interview for the program 'Yahiye Tov' with Roni Koban and Omri Assenheim his dramatic conversation with the Chief of Staff and Netanyahu's proposal.
This is how he describes what happened 5 days before the surprise attack on Israel.
Chief of Staff: The Prime Minister asked to appoint you as military secretary. I think you are not suitable. I consulted in the General Staff forum. Your strategic thinking is not suitable for the General Staff. I ask you to retire from the army and that is at the discretion of the Minister of Defense. Besides, I think the Prime Minister's request (to appoint you) is irrelevant.".
Winter in an interview: "If I'm the Prime Minister, or someone else, Arik Sharon for example - his head is blown off in a second. Who are you, brat, who are you? The Prime Minister's consideration is none of my business? Who are you, anyway? You're a confused Chief of Staff. You're subordinate to the Prime Minister and the political echelon.".
The Prime Minister's Office responded: "If the words of Brigadier General (res.) Ofer Winter are indeed true, this is a serious incident. In a democratic country, the Chief of Staff is subordinate to the political echelon and must keep his political or personal opinions to himself.".
An IDF spokesman responded: "The words attributed to the Chief of Staff by Brigadier General (reserve) Ofer Winter were not said. The meeting in question is documented in the Chief of Staff's office.".
