Halevi leaves behind an army in deep crisis: Israeli media

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
22 Jan 2025 11:17
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Israeli media discuss a deep crisis in the Israeli Army, pointing out that this latest operation launched by"Israel" in the West Bank is nothing but a trick to delude the public.

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Israeli Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi (center) and then-Security Minister Yoav Gallant (left) attend a ceremony marking the Hebrew calendar anniversary of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, on October 27, 2024. (AFP)

Israeli daily Haaretz discussed the Israeli military's newfound crisis involving sharp tensions and many officers resigning without replacement, following 15 months of war.

Both Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi and Southern Command leader Yaron Finkelman announced their resignation on Tuesday, with Halevi saying, "I will carry this failure with me for the rest of my life."

The daily said that Security Minister Israel Katz made Halevi miserable until he quit, adding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will attempt to repeat this move with the head of the Shin Bet, expecting more officers to submit their resignation.

Haaretz also wrote that the beginning of reform lies in forming an official independent investigative committee to look into the reasons behind the war and its failures, adding that Netanyahu is currently working on preventing the formation of such a committee.

As for the operation "Israel" launched yesterday in Jenin, which it dubbed "Operation Iron Wall", Haaretz saw that the resemblance the name bears with "Operation Guardian of the Walls" is meant to trick the public, as Netanyahu is presenting it as a reward to Bezalel Smotrich.

The paper also noted that the true threat to the implementation of the captive-prisoner exchange deal may come from the West Bank in light of these developments, on account of the attacks by Israeli settlers which will lead to more retaliatory strikes by the Palestinian side.

Israeli Chief of Staff announces resignation

The Chief of Staff of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), Herzi Halevi, announced on Tuesday that he will step down from his position on March 6, 2025, citing responsibility for the military's failures during the Al-Aqsa Flood operation.

"I informed the Minister of Defense today (Tuesday) that by virtue of my recognition of my responsibility for the [IOF's] failure on October 7th, and at a time when the [IOF] has significant achievements and is in the process of implementing the agreement to release our hostages, I have requested to leave my role on March 6th, 2025," Halevi said in a statement.

"In the remaining time, I will complete the investigations and maintain the [IOF] machinery for security challenges. I will transfer command of the [IOF] in a qualitative and thorough manner to my successor. I have forwarded a letter to the Minister of Defense and the Prime Minister on the matter."

Halevi's resignation comes as the IOF faces growing criticism over its handling of the events on October 7, when the military was caught off guard by the large-scale assault. The incident exposed lapses in the IOF's intelligence and operational readiness, leading to significant casualties and hostage situations.

Shortly after Halevi's announcement, Major General Yaron Finkelman, head of the IOF's Southern Command, also tendered his resignation. Finkelman oversaw the command responsible for the area near Gaza, which bore the brunt of the Hamas attack.

Halevi's admission that "not all" objectives of the Gaza war were achieved reflects the IOF's struggles and the demoralization within its ranks over unmet military and political goals.