The Israeli military has taken significant disciplinary action, dismissing three high-ranking generals and imposing measures on several other senior officers. This decisive move comes as a direct response to their failure to prevent the devastating October 7, 2023, assault by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, the deadliest attack in the nation's history.
Internal Investigation Leads to Dismissals
This development follows a call for a "systemic investigation" by the Israeli Armed Forces Chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, two weeks prior. The military proceeded with its internal probe despite the government's apparent reluctance to form a state commission of inquiry, even in the face of substantial public pressure.
The list of dismissed officers includes three divisional commanders, one of whom was serving as the military intelligence chief at the time of the attack. An official military statement released on a Sunday confirmed that all three bear personal responsibility for the armed forces' inability to thwart the Hamas onslaught. It is important to note that these generals had already resigned from their positions before the formal dismissal was announced.
Widespread Disciplinary Measures and Report Findings
Disciplinary actions were not limited to the dismissed generals. The head of the navy and the head of the air force also faced penalties. Furthermore, measures were taken against four other generals and several additional senior officers across the military's chain of command.
These firings and disciplinary actions are the result of findings from a report compiled by a committee of experts appointed by the military chief. This report marked the conclusion of the army's internal investigations into the October 7th attacks.
The investigation uncovered a "long-standing systemic and organisational failure" within the military apparatus. A critical finding was a severe "intelligence failure". The report highlighted the military's "inability to raise the alarm" despite possessing what was described as "exceptional, high-quality information" about a potential threat.
Additionally, the inquiry strongly criticized the "deficient decision-making processes and force deployment during the night of October 7, 2023". This points to widespread failures that permeated the entire military command structure on the day of the attack.
