Israel’s top general on Friday said he would not consider resigning until after the military’s internal inquiry into the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed some 1,200 people in the Jewish State.
Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said he would decide about his professional future only “when the tasks are completed.”
“At the end of the investigation, we will also make personal decisions and commanders will exercise responsibility, from me down,” Gen. Halevi said in a letter to the troops obtained by The Times of Israel. “I have no intention of passing over personal decisions when the picture becomes clearer to us.”
He was appointed IDF Chief of Staff in January 2023. He was in charge when Hamas launched the rampage that sparked the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.
“I have expressed my responsibility on several occasions, and these words also have a practical meaning. It is very clear to me,” Gen. Halevi said in the letter. “We do not leave tasks in the middle. When we complete the tasks, I will make my decision.”
Gen. Halevi’s suggestion that he might step down at the end of the IDF inquiry comes days after Defense Minister Israel Katz said he wouldn’t approve the promotion of two senior officers until their possible role in the military’s failure to prevent the Oct. 7 massacre is complete.
Promotions in the IDf have come under fire by some members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, who have argued that Gen. Halevi shouldn’t be the person appointing commanders.
“They have also said that senior offices should not be promoted until the military finishes probing its failures that led to the Hamas attack, as some general may have been involved in the missteps,” the Times of Israel said.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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