IDF general accused of hoarding army equipment steps down
Chief of staff accepts resignation of Brig. Gen. Mordechai Kahane, who is believed to have improperly amassed weapons, other military gear
Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
A senior general suspected of hoarding military equipment in violation of army rules stepped down from his position on Monday, taking “full responsibility” for his misdeeds, the army said.
The officer, Brig. Gen. Mordechai Kahane, the IDF’s chief combat intelligence officer and head of the army’s Border Defense Force, met with IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot on Monday to discuss the charges against him.
“The officer took full responsibility,” the army said in a statement. “During the conversation, the officer asked that the chief of staff allow him to end his position and move toward leaving the IDF — and the chief of staff accepted the request.”
It was not immediately clear who would take over for Kahane.
Two weeks ago, Kahane was suspended over the allegation that he had been improperly amassing and keeping military equipment, including weapons taken from terrorists.
That suspension was due to end on Monday.
During the meeting, Eisenkot said that “the officer’s actions do not represent proper conduct expected from an IDF officer. However, to his credit, [Kahane] has a meaningful past in the military, in a number of command and combat positions over the course of nearly 30 years of service.”
Last month, the Military Police questioned Kahane on the suspicion that he had “for an extended period of time, received and possessed — improperly — military and civilian equipment,” the army said in a statement at the time.
He was suspected of amassing a vast collection of tactical equipment, including guns, weapons and scopes, as well as civilian gear. Among the weapons was an AK-47 assault rifle, which according to the Ynet news site he had taken from a Hamas terrorist.
The illicit material was kept in a storage locker on Kahane’s base.
The Military Police investigation is ongoing, the army said.
Earlier this year, Kahane was named the head of the newly formed Border Defense Force, which brought together a number of units responsible for protecting the nation’s borders.
