2024-02-21 14:18:02
Halevy launches a broad army investigation into the events of October 7
The Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, Herzi Halevy, announced that internal investigations into the events of last October 7, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, during which it killed 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped regarding 240 Israelis to the Gaza Strip, will begin in the coming days. .
Israeli media, citing Halevy, confirmed that the investigations will include all army units, and are expected to last regarding three months.
Halevy sent a letter to army commanders telling them that investigations would begin soon, even though the army was still at war. He added: “We have a duty to investigate, as this is a necessity, not a privilege.”
On Tuesday, Halevy issued a summary paper on the war in the Gaza Strip in which he addressed the leadership challenges in the midst of a long-term war, praising the transformation achieved by the army from setbacks to attacks and surprise, then reaching achievements.
Pictures of Israelis killed or captured in the Hamas attack on October 7 in the Gaza Strip (AFP)
Halevy said: “We will soon begin the process of investigating the events of October 7 and what led to them, even though we are still at war. We must investigate what happened in order to find out. This is a necessity, not a privilege. Only then will we be able to understand how we might have acted and in what way we will act in the future to better protect the citizens of Israel. “Every unit and every force will investigate the battles and events in which they participated, and we will investigate up the chain of command, rung by rung.”
He added: “At this stage, the army will investigate the first events that opened the battle, but the unit that has temporarily ended the fighting is obligated to investigate the events that follow as well, in the name of learning and preventing the loss of knowledge. I am confident that the army has the ability to conduct a real and comprehensive investigation. We must first work to build a common realistic basis for investigation, and then move on to thinking and formulating conclusions and lessons.” He continued: “We will conduct investigations based on five basic values: truth, objectivity, transparency, responsibility and brotherhood.”
An Israeli demonstrates once morest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and holds him responsible for the security failure to prevent Hamas attacks (AFP)
In practice, Unit 8200, in the Israeli Military Intelligence Division, began collecting material regarding the sequence of events that preceded the Hamas attack.
Sources in the army told the Walla website that collecting materials precedes conducting comprehensive investigations. Haaretz newspaper said that the investigations will cover the forces’ readiness to fight, how they arrived at the battlefields, and the manner in which they fought.
Contrary to previous intentions, current army commanders will conduct the investigation, not an external committee.
Halevy had formed an external committee headed by former Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, to conduct investigations, but he decided to freeze that committee due to the great opposition within the Israeli government, which led to verbal confrontations with Halevy. Last month, in an expanded government meeting, he was attacked in an unprecedented manner by ministers. Because of the investigation that the Israeli army had decided to conduct, headed by Mofaz, the right-wing ministers exploded in Halevy’s face because of the “timing of the investigations” and the inclusion of Mofaz in it, whom they see as “involved” in the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
Halevy said at the time that the investigation was practical, not related to politics, and that he did not need their permission. Defense Minister Yoav Galant defended him and criticized the ministers for “attacking him.” This sparked new wrangling over whether the military might order an investigation without the approval of politicians, before Halevy returned and called off the investigation.
Netanyahu chairs the Israeli cabinet meeting on Thursday (dpa)
The quarrel highlighted long-standing tensions between the army and some members of the hard-right coalition over Israeli policies towards the Palestinians, and revealed cracks in the “united front” that the government has been seeking to present since the outbreak of the war.
The investigation that Halevy will begin is not the only one. A General Staff team, not affiliated with Halevy, is supposed to conduct investigations into specific events that took place during and following the October 7 attack, such as a tank bombing a house in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, despite the army’s knowledge of the presence of hostages inside it and fighters from “ Hamas,” and this bombing, which came following an exchange of fire and negotiations, resulted in the death of 13 hostages.
The General Staff’s investigation team is headed by Yoav Har-Even, a reserve officer with the rank of major general, and will work during the investigations in coordination with the Military Advocate General.
State Comptroller Netanyahu Engelman also intends to investigate officials in the army and Shin Bet, as well as in the police, as part of investigations into the war and the events that preceded October 7.
The State Comptroller’s Office had requested the collection of documents that show the army, police, and Shin Bet’s handling of the event, including summoning reserve staff and activating forces and media, and submitting them to the State Comptroller’s Office.
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