When rockets are raining down, and the nation is mourning, the last thing Israel needs is its top defense officials publicly clashing. Yet, as The Jerusalem Post’s senior military correspondent Yonah Jeremy Bob reported on Wednesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi are embroiled in a bitter conflict over the October 7 massacre and future military leadership.
This isn’t leadership; on the contrary, it’s chaos. Let’s be clear: While Israel’s enemies remain united in their goal to destroy us, our leaders seem intent on undermining each other.
This is not the first time the government has found itself at odds with the military. In December, IDF Spokesperson R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari was reprimanded after criticizing the “Feldstein bill” as “very dangerous to the IDF” during a press conference. Hagari later apologized, admitting, “I overstepped my authority.”
Katz, who oversaw the reprimand, described Hagari’s statements as “completely outside of what is permitted and expected from someone in uniform in a democratic regime.” Now, this same dynamic of public criticism and disciplinary drama is being replayed at the highest levels of the defense establishment.
On Wednesday, Katz publicly aligned himself with State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman, who accused the IDF of obstructing his probe into the October 7 attacks. Katz demanded that the IDF complete its own investigation within three weeks.
Halevi, in turn, criticized Katz for making sensitive national security matters public. “These issues should be discussed privately behind closed doors,” Halevi said. Katz’s approach is damaging not only to the IDF’s credibility but to Israel’s national security – according to Halevi.
Observers cited by Bob argue that Katz’s moves are politically motivated, aiming to protect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and shift blame for October 7 onto Halevi and the military.
“Many observers believe that pushing Halevi and other generals out of office is the true goal of Katz,” Bob wrote. If this is the case, such actions are reckless and selfish. Leadership should focus on accountability and unity, not political maneuvering.
Meanwhile, Englman accused the IDF of secretly recording interviews with officers and refusing to hand over the recordings. Halevi’s team countered that the recordings were for “internal records.” Regardless of the justification, this public discord erodes trust in both the IDF and the government. As National Unity Party Chair Benny Gantz aptly stated, “Trust between the Defense Minister and the Chief of Staff is an integral part of national security.”
This discord is particularly troubling given Halevi’s statements that ongoing military operations take precedence over meeting Katz’s deadlines for completing the probes. Halevi has implied that releasing the findings could increase pressure on him and his generals to resign – a move many believe Katz is eager to see. Halevi also hinted that Netanyahu’s refusal to allow a probe into his own role in October 7 has contributed to delays.
Tensions escalate
In recent weeks, the tensions between Katz and Halevi escalated further when Katz announced that no new IDF appointments would be approved until all October 7 probe results were submitted to his office.
As reported by Maariv journalist Ben Caspit, Katz’s directive appeared to be a deliberate attempt to pressure Halevi, with Caspit commenting, “The primary role of Israel Katz now seems to be making Halevi’s life miserable and expediting his departure.”
Caspit also criticized the government for shirking its own accountability regarding the October 7 attacks, stating, “The massacre occurred under the watch of this right-wing government. They are the ones who owe the public an explanation more than any other body.”
Katz’s actions, combined with the government’s failure to allow an investigation into its own handling of the events, further deepen the mistrust and frustration felt by many within the defense establishment and the public alike.
Our enemies are undoubtedly watching. Every headline about this internal bickering only emboldens those who seek to destroy us. As Halevi himself has emphasized, “Ongoing military operations are a higher goal.” This isn’t a time for political theater but rather a time for unity and leadership.
To Katz, Halevi, and all leaders of Israel’s defense establishment: Grow up. The stakes are too high for division and ego. Israel cannot afford this kind of disunity. Our enemies thrive on our weakness. Leadership must rise above these petty battles and remember the greater goal: ensuring the safety and survival of the State of Israel.
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