IDF chief again urges state comptroller to delay probe into Oct. 7 failures amid ongoing war

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi speaks to the press from an army base in central Israel, April 7, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi speaks to the press from an army base in central Israel, April 7, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi issues a new letter to the state comptroller, asking him to postpone an investigation into the military’s multiple failures that occurred before, during, and after the Hamas terror group’s October 7 massacre.

“Your conclusion that the current timing makes it possible to start an audit does not correspond to the security reality and the burden on the IDF,” says Halevi to Matanyahu Englman.

“An audit at this time will cause substantial and severe harm to the war efforts,” he says.

“I pledge that the IDF will cooperate fully with the state comptroller, but not at the expense of the complex tasks before us,” Halevi adds.

In December, Englman said his office would “leave no stone unturned” in its investigation.

Halevi then raised objections, saying the state comptroller’s examination was unprecedented and would divert the attention of IDF commanders currently conducting operations in Gaza.

The pair then met in February to hash things out and agreed to continue discussions on the matter.

But last week, Englman said his office’s probe into the October 7 failures would now start looking at the IDF and urged Halevi to cooperate.

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