The pending resignation of IDF Chief of Staff General Herzi Halevi, announced Tuesday, was welcomed by Israeli leaders and lawmakers, many of whom have long believed he should resign over his role in the failures that led to the fall of the Hamas terrorist group. October 7, 2023, assault.
Others also took the opportunity to call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government to follow Halevi’s example and resign for the same reasons.
Halevi, in a letter to Defense Minister Israel Katz, said he would leave the Israel Defense Forces on March 6. His announcement was followed shortly after by a similar statement from the head of the IDF Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, although he did not specify an appointment.
Katz, who spoke with Halevi before the letter was released, said he thanked the chief of staff “for his contributions to the IDF throughout his years of service as a fighter and commander, and for his part in the great achievements of the IDF. in the difficult war that has been imposed on us.
Netanyahu also spoke with Halevi after his announcement and “thanked the IDF Chief of Staff for his many years of service and command of the IDF” during the last 15 months of war, “which led to great achievements for the State of Israel.” “, said the Prime Minister’s Office. The two are expected to meet in the coming days.
President Isaac Herzog said Halevi had “dedicated his life to the security of the State of Israel and its citizens” and praised him for his leadership during the past 15 months of fighting in Gaza and several other areas. foreheads.
President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi attend the state ceremony marking 10 years of Operation Protective Edge at the military cemetery from Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, July 16, 2024. (Shalev Shalom/POOL)
Following the Hamas attack, Halevi “made it clear that he took responsibility,” Herzog said. “Even today, as he has announced his resignation due to his role in the serious failure of October 7, he deserves respect and gratitude for his performance and contribution in leading the campaign and its many significant successes .”
He reiterated his desire for the government to establish a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attacks and the events leading up to them, saying this would allow Israel to “learn lessons, take responsibility, draw conclusions and build trust between citizens and their citizens.” State.”
Herzog’s sentiments were echoed by lawmakers on both sides, including National Unity Minister Benny Gantz, who said Halevi was “above all a warrior,” who “fought for the country his entire life.” adult life.”
“The chief of staff is responsible for the (military failures of) the October 7 disaster, and he is also responsible for the tremendous recovery of the IDF,” Gantz wrote on X. “He assumed his responsibilities from the first moment, exercised them on the battlefield and now also exercises his public responsibility in a manner worthy of appreciation.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is also a minister in the Defense Ministry, praised the outgoing IDF chief for his decades of service, including his “great military achievements on all fronts” during of the last 15 months.
Criticizing Halevi’s “failure in the campaign to eliminate Hamas’s civilian and governmental capabilities, as well as his responsibility for the failure of October 7,” Smotrich acknowledged that this nevertheless did not “reduce the large debt of gratitude that we owe him for all his work and contributions.” over the years and for his achievements.
The leader of religious Zionism said the coming period “will be marked by the replacement of the military high command as part of preparations for the resumption of the war, this time in the name of not ending the war before total victory .
“I am convinced that the Minister of Defense will succeed in this task with responsibility, professionalism and determination, and I will assist him in this task if necessary,” he added.
Defense Minister Israel Katz (center) during a visit to the Northern Command with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (2nd right), November 13, 2024. (Ariel Hermoni /Ministry of Defense)
Otzma Yehudit President Itamar Ben Gvir also welcomed Halevi’s departure and expressed hope that a more aggressive officer would be appointed in his place.
The ultranationalist lawmaker, who resigned from the coalition and his post as national security minister earlier this week to protest the ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas, reiterated his earlier claims that Netanyahu offered to fire Halevi and give him credit. this decision in exchange for the continued presence of Otzma Yehudit in the coalition.
Ben Gvir said in an interview with Channel 12 on Saturday evening that he rejected the alleged offer, although the prime minister’s office completely denied his claims.
“As I said, the resignation of the Chief of Staff was expected regardless of the outcome of the war, and I therefore rejected the offer to obtain credit for a move he had initiated in exchange for his support of the surrender agreement with Hamas,” Ben Gvir said in a video statement on Tuesday.
“In any case, the departure of the chief of staff must be welcomed,” he added.
Opposition party leaders in the Knesset, meanwhile, have suggested that Netanyahu follow Halevi’s lead and resign over his role in the October 7 failures.
Most members of the government, including Netanyahu, have repeatedly refused to take responsibility for their role in the series of strategic and operational failures that led to the Hamas attack, insisting that the issue their responsibility would only be resolved after the war.
“Now, let the prime minister and his entire disastrous government take responsibility and resign,” opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X, while Yisrael Beytenu President Avigdor Liberman called on Prime Minister and his cabinet “to take their responsibilities and follow him home”.
“Thank you, Herzi. Netanyahu, now it’s your turn,” Democratic President Yair Golan said.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (center) speaks to officers in Rafah, southern Gaza, alongside Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman ( on the left) and the head of the Gaza division, Brig. General Barak Hiram (right), December 18, 2024. (Israel Defense Force)
Halevi, alongside Southern Command chief Finkelman, joins former head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, and former Gaza division commander, Brig. General Avi Rosenfeld, who also resigned following the October 7 attacks.
Other senior defense officials have said they bear responsibility for the deadly invasion, including the head of the Shin Bet security agency, although he has not yet resigned.
Thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, embarking on a murderous rampage of unprecedented brutality and scale. The Israeli military struggled to respond, with bases closest to the border overrun and the chain of command appearing broken amid the chaos.
The attack claimed the lives of some 1,200 people in Israel, while another 251 people were kidnapped and much of the area was devastated. Most of the victims were civilians.
