IDF suspends general suspected of hoarding army equipment
Military Police believe Brig. Gen. Mordechai Kahane amassed military, civilian gear over several years
Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
The head of the IDF’s Ground Forces suspended Brig. Gen. Mordechai Kahane for two weeks on Monday amid allegations that the senior officer hoarded equipment in violation of army orders, the military said.
Until Monday night, the military would not confirm that Kahane, who leads the army’s Border Defense Force, was the officer under investigation.
Maj. Gen. Kobi Barak made the decision to suspend Kahane in light of the Military Police investigation into the allegation that “for an extended period of time, he received and possessed, improperly, military and civilian equipment,” the army said.
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.
Kahane’s suspension was approved by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.
The investigation is ongoing and only when it is completed will the military decide what steps to take against the senior officer, the army said.
Kahane was first interrogated by the Military Police on Sunday.
The military material was kept in a storage locker on Kahane’s base.
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. He also serves as the IDF’s chief combat intelligence officer.
