Israeli military under fire as defence minister, state comptroller press for cooperation
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz instructed the military brass on Wednesday to fully cooperate with a State Comptroller probe into the army’s failures during Hamas’s October 7 attack.
Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi at a ceremony in Tel Aviv taking over as IDF Chief of Staff on Jan. 16, 2023. Photo by Gideon Markowicz/TPS
“A situation in which it appears that the IDF is afraid of criticism and public transparency is required given the seriousness of the events that occurred on October 7th while you were in command,” Katz told Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi.
The comptroller, also known as the state ombudsman, periodically releases reports auditing Israeli preparedness and the effectiveness of government policies. State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman has been critical of the Israel Defense Forces for not cooperating with his probe.
On Monday, Englman sent a letter to Halevi criticizing the IDF for obstructing his audit and violating established protocols for cooperation. Englman accused army officials of secretly recording interviews and coaching officers on how to answer specific questions.
“If these obstacles are not removed by January 15, 2025,” Englman warned, “I will be compelled to use my investigative powers under Section 26 of the State Comptroller Law, including summoning witnesses to the State Comptroller’s Office to present documents and provide testimony.”
The army responded to Englman on Wednesday, saying it is “cooperating fully with the State Comptroller, although such an audit has never been conducted during a war.” The IDF added that there are already 18 ongoing internal military audits.
In December, Katz ordered Halevi to complete the army’s internal investigations by the end of January. Katz refuses to sign off on promotions of officers to the ranks of major general or give generals new roles until he reviews the army’s findings.
The comptroller and the military probes are only investigating the IDF’s response to the attacks.
There have been growing calls for the government to appoint an independent commission of inquiry to investigate political and military failures. Such commissions have broader authority to summon witnesses and collect evidence and are headed by a senior Supreme Court justice. They may include personal recommendations about individuals under investigation, though the government is not bound to act on the recommendations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the governing coalition say an independent commission should only be appointed after the war.
The last state commission of inquiry, which investigated Israel’s worst civilian disaster held Netanyahu personally responsible for the tragedy in a report released in April. Forty-five people were killed and 150 people were injured in a stampede at a holy site on Mount Meron in the Upper Galilee during the Jewish holiday of Lag B’Omer in 2021. The tragedy was triggered by a combination of overcrowded conditions and a faulty walkway in a narrow passage.
