Netanyahu intervenes as rift between war minister and army chief deepens

Israel’s public broadcasting corporation reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday summoned the war minister and the Chief of Staff after intense disagreements erupted between them over investigations into the failures of October 7.

Earlier, the Israeli Chief of Staff issued a statement challenging the War Minister’s decisions, saying these actions undermine the credibility of the army.

Eyal Zamir, on Monday night, stated that he learned of War Minister Israel Katz’s decisions through the media, accusing Katz of distorting the findings of the Tarjoman investigative committee report.

Zamir emphasized that Katz made decisions unilaterally, without prior coordination and in disregard of the Chief of Staff’s authority. He added that these decisions were issued while he was attending a military exercise in the occupied Golan Heights.

He warned that Katz’s actions could directly harm the readiness of the Israeli army, saying: “A 30-day suspension of military appointments will damage the army’s preparation for future challenges. As usual and within his authority, the Chief of Staff will continue holding appointment sessions and submit the names for the minister’s approval.”

Tensions escalated after Zamir dismissed several senior commanders on Monday for their responsibility in the failures of October 7.

Upon being informed of these decisions, Katz suspended all military dismissals and appointments and demanded the formation of a new review committee.

Israeli military officials say the War Minister has effectively undermined Zamir’s personal credibility, arguing that Katz’s actions show he “does not trust the Chief of Staff’s appointments,” leading to the removal of several capable commanders.

The “Tarjoman Committee” is an official internal Israeli military body tasked with reviewing the performance of commanders and military institutions during major operations—including the events of October 7, 2023.

Zamir noted that the committee’s report was initially prepared for the Chief of Staff to evaluate the quality of investigations and draw lessons from them, saying:

“Katz has exploited this for political purposes. The decision distorted a report written by 12 generals over seven months, approved by the army command, and submitted to the minister. This distortion is astonishing.”