IDF chief indicates he will resign after Oct. 7 investigation, defends right to make senior appointments

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi indicates that he intends to resign once the military completes its investigations into the October 7 onslaught.

“At the end of the investigations, we will also make personal decisions and commanders will exercise responsibility, from me down. I have no intention of passing over personal decisions when the picture becomes clearer to us,” he writes in a missive to troops.

Halevi’s missive largely focuses on defending his decision to make senior appointments in the military, with some arguing that he should not be making such decisions as he failed in his role concerning the October 7 onslaught.

“Appointing officers to positions is not a privilege, but a command and operational duty. The IDF cannot afford to freeze,” Halevi says.

In a recent round of appointments, Defense Minister Israel Katz refused to approve two officers due to their potential involvement in the failures that led to the October 7 attack.