State comptroller accuses heads of IDF, Shin Bet of blocking his review of Oct. 7 failures

By Jeremy Sharon

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27 February 2025, 1:36 pm

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Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter

State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman attends a Knesset Finance Committee meeting in Jerusalem, January 6, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman expresses sharp criticism of outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and head of the Shin Bet Ronen Bar for what he says are their ongoing efforts to block his investigation into the “core failure” before and during the October 7 Hamas invasion and atrocities.

“For many months now, our offices have been conducting reviews of the Prime Minister’s Office, the National Security Council, the military secretariat,” Englman says during a speech at a conference of the Association of Treasurers.

“Defense ministers have also cooperated,” he adds, referring to former minister Yoav Gallant and current minister Israel Katz. “Having said that, without the full cooperation of the IDF and the Shin Bet it will not be possible to carry out a full review.”

He alleged that “the [IDF] chief of staff and the head of the Shin Bet have been blocking a review of the core failure for a year and a half now.” He calls on the attorney general to order “all parties” to cooperate with his investigation “in accordance with Basic Law: The State Comptroller.”

Englman has repeatedly criticized the army and the Shin Bet for failing to cooperate with his investigation. In January this year, he accused the military of “intimidating” senior officers into giving testimony to his staff, which he said was part of the IDF’s efforts to stop “the truth from being disclosed.”

Defense officials have previously argued that the comptroller’s investigation should wait until the conflict ends, as it would divert the attention of commanders and top officials away from the fighting and thus harm the war effort.

Critics of the government, including members of the opposition and several government watchdog groups, have expressed concern that the probe by Englman, who has no legal background and was appointed to his position under a Netanyahu-led government, could seek to minimize political responsibility for the devastating October 7 onslaught.