Cadets and graduates of Israel's military officers' course have told Haaretz that parts of the IDF training system show a pronounced ideological lean toward religious nationalism, with some guest lectures crossing into overtly political territory that violates military regulations.
According to the Haaretz report, one cadet said the majority of guest speakers invited to address trainees share a common ideological orientation rooted in religious Zionism — a movement blending Orthodox Judaism with Zionist nationalism that has grown increasingly influential in Israeli politics, particularly among advocates of West Bank settlement. Graduates added that educational seminars are routinely hosted at religious academies in the West Bank or at religious kibbutzim.
The most striking example cited involved former IDF commander Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter, who was invited to lecture cadets and used the opportunity to deliver pointed political commentary, including sharp criticism of former chiefs of staff Gadi Eisenkot and Herzl Halevi. Attendees said Winter argued that no civilians in Gaza could be considered uninvolved, and claimed both men had blocked his career advancement for political and personal reasons.
The mother of one cadet told Haaretz she was troubled by the direction the military appeared to be taking, and questioned why such a polarizing figure was allowed to speak without objection from senior officers.
In response, the IDF acknowledged the episode as a "failure," stating that Winter had appeared as a volunteer speaker on the subject of combat leadership, that his talk had not gone through proper approval channels, and that procedures would be tightened. The military reaffirmed its commitment to political neutrality within its ranks.
Winter, for his part, told Haaretz he has regularly volunteered to address officer courses and security bodies since retiring after 34 years of service. He said he presented cadets with two competing perspectives on Gaza's civilian population — one holding that the population broadly backs Hamas, the other that civilians are themselves victims held hostage by the group — and that both views point toward the same outcome: emigration of Gaza's population. He also defended his criticism of Eisenkot's security doctrine while stressing personal respect for him.
Winter was passed over twice for promotion to major general before leaving service in 2024, a decision that triggered backlash from right-wing figures who attributed it to his religious identity. He previously commanded the Givati Brigade during the 2014 Gaza war.