Katz vs. Zamir: Israel’s military leadership at war with itself

Channel 13 of Israeli television, citing senior military officials, reported that Katz is “trying to defeat Zamir and force him to resign, and he has the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in this approach.”

Israeli military officials emphasized that “Zamir is strong and will not yield; he has no intention of resigning.” They warned that “this confrontation between the two has reached a new level and goes beyond a personal crisis between two officials.”

They noted that “the Katz-Zamir clash could destabilize the Israeli army, which is already struggling with a manpower crisis.”

Following the rising tensions between the war minister and the Chief of Staff, Hebrew media previously reported that Netanyahu is considering dismissing his war minister.

Israel Hayom reported that the Israeli Prime Minister is considering removing Israel Katz from the defense portfolio and appointing Gideon Sa’ar as the new war minister.

The tensions escalated after Katz ordered a review of the army’s internal investigations into Israel’s failures during the October 7, 2023, attack, prompting mutual criticisms between Katz and Zamir.

Katz also decided to suspend senior army appointments for 30 days, a move that led Zamir to accuse him of “political interference and undermining the army’s readiness.”