From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
IDF chief appoints senior officer to oversee coordination on external war investigations
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has approved the appointment of a senior officer to head a unit that coordinates the investigations of the military’s actions amid the war, reportedly sparking criticism within the army.
Lt. Col. Adi Sabag, who until recently served as the high command secretary in the IDF General Staff, will head the so-called inspection and learning division.
The division is intended to be a body in the General Staff that coordinates external investigations and other learning processes from the war, according to the IDF.
The IDF says the unit will not carry out any of the investigations itself, but rather coordinate and synchronize between various bodies, which it says will require someone with familiarity with the IDF and the General Staff.
Sabag was appointed to the new role by Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, and the move was approved by Halevi. The appointment still requires the approval of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
According to reports by Ynet and Channel 12 news, the move sparked criticism in the IDF, as Sabag is ostensibly close to Halevi and other top generals, due to her previous position in the General Staff.
Sabag’s appointment to the high command secretary several years ago was carried out by the previous IDF chief, Aviv Kohavi.
Critics have contended that Halevi should not be allowed to make such appointments amid the war, and that they shouldn’t be decided upon by the military leadership that failed to prevent Hamas’s October 7 massacre.
