Israeli general warns peace illusions empower rejectionists, while Palestinian leaders openly pursue Israel’s elimination, not coexistence.
Brig.-Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter delivered a stark warning at the Jabotinsky Conference, arguing that Israel continues speaking the language of peace while its adversaries openly articulate a vision of Israel’s destruction.
“Our vision is peace—we are a people who seek peace,” Winter stated. “But the problem is not that we don’t hear them. It’s that we refuse to listen.” He pointed to repeated declarations by Arab and Palestinian leaders, including MK Ahmad Tibi, asserting they are part of an ongoing struggle against the Jewish state. According to Winter, such statements should be taken at face value, not dismissed as rhetoric.
Winter further argued that the Palestinian Authority, despite diplomatic appearances, fundamentally rejects Jewish sovereignty. “Even in suits and ties, they do not want us here,” he said, accusing Israeli leadership of sustaining dangerous illusions during wartime.
Referring to Gaza, Winter criticized repeated discussions about “the day after,” claiming they prolonged conflict by preserving Palestinian hope for Israel’s collapse. Citing Revisionist Zionist thinker Ze’ev Jabotinsky, he argued that once false hope ends, rejectionist movements historically dissolve.
Winter also urged Israel to seize strategic momentum enabled by U.S. President Donald Trump, calling for absolute clarity: no rewards for terror, no political fantasies, and no Palestinian state imposed on Israel.
His message resonated with those who believe decades of concessions only emboldened extremism—while Israel’s survival depends on realism, deterrence, and national resolve.
