Reserve Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter said Wednesday evening that he will not join any government unless a law ending all draft evasion is passed before the coalition is sworn in. In a statement directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Winter insisted the law must be 'clear and unequivocal' and apply equally to all sectors, adding that 'no sector is above the law.' He added that those who serve will receive priority, and those who contribute more will be rewarded.
Reserve Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter issued a direct ultimatum to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday evening, demanding that a law ending all draft evasion be passed before any new government is sworn in. Speaking in a new, more detailed statement following his press conference earlier Wednesday (19:32 Jerusalem), Winter insisted the law must be “clear and unequivocal” and apply equally to all sectors. “No one will fool us,” he said, adding that those who serve will receive priority and those who contribute more will be rewarded.
Winter’s conditions follow his initial announcement at a press conference at 19:32 Jerusalem, where he stated he would not join any government that fails to pass a conscription law before its formation, and that political alliances would only be made with “new people who are not tainted by October 7.” Earlier reports indicated Winter intended to give Netanyahu the “61st finger” (Aug 19) and would serve only under Netanyahu in a broader coalition without Haredim as the decisive seat (Aug 25). The conscription issue has been a central fault line in coalition talks, with the IDF warning in July that without legislative intervention the reserve system will remain overburdened. Other political figures, including Benny Gantz (Jul 6) and Naftali Bennett (Aug 10), have similarly demanded a draft law before government formation.
As The Zioneer has reported, the IDF’s assessment from early July warns that without extending mandatory service, the reserve component will bear a disproportionate burden through 2027. Prime Minister Netanyahu himself acknowledged in closed-door remarks (Aug 2) that the current temporary draft law had failed and vowed a full draft bill in the next government. Haredi parties, by contrast, have promoted a “Basic Law: Torah Study,” which Winter explicitly rejected.
The ultimatum raises the stakes for coalition negotiations. Netanyahu currently lacks a clear majority without either Haredi factions or right-wing parties that include Winter’s potential list. Whether Winter’s demand can be met in a divided Knesset remains an open question.
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