Liberman says many questions surrounding IDF probes into Oct. 7 failures

By Sam Sokol 24 February 2025, 3:25 pm

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Sam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Yisrael Beiteinu party chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman leads a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on February 24, 2025.(Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

There are “many questions surrounding” the IDF investigations into its failures during the lead-up to October 7, which are due to be presented this week, states Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman.

“Who will interrogate the Chief of Staff and his deputy” as well as other senior IDF officials, the former defense minister asks during a press conference ahead of his party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset.

“With great power comes great responsibility,” he continues, arguing that a probe into Israel’s military “cannot be presented” without also investigating the country’s political echelon.

“Who will interrogate the prime minister, the head of the national security council and the prime minister’s military secretary about the greatest disaster that has ever befallen the State of Israel,” he asks.

“The only body capable of conducting an objective investigation is not people who are subordinate to the government, but only a state commission of inquiry that has the necessary resources and capabilities,” he says, adding that if such a body “is not established during this government, it will be established by the next government.”