Smotrich, Halevi at each other's throats in War Cabinet session
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Bezalel Smotrich and Herzi Halevi exchange accusations in a loud confrontation during a meeting for the Israeli War Cabinet.
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Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich speaks at the Knesset, on July 10, 2023. (AP)
An "unusual" disagreement and confrontation emerged in the War Cabinet between far-right Israeli Financial Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Israeli media reported.
According to the Israel Hayom newspaper, Smotrich held Halevi responsible for the failure the occupation suffered on October 7, during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
Smotrich accused Halevi of negligence, saying "We were not the ones who went to sleep on October 6," to which Halevi loudly and angrily demanded Smotrich retract his statement.
This is not the first time conflict has arisen between both Israeli officials. In March, Smotrich defaced Halevi in an interview with Israeli Channel 12, saying "This IDF chief of staff brought us one of the greatest disasters in the history of the country."
Smotrich said Halevi will not be the one to "mold the next generation of the IDF," stressing that the Israeli Chief of Staff "will not appoint commanders," as the ruling coalition does not trust him with the matter.
The Minister's broadside comes at a time when the Israeli military command made a series of changes to commanding roles and ranks of officers, including three new brigadier generals and 11 new colonels and transferring 26 colonels to new positions within the military.
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