The IDF’s chief of staff, Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, announced Tuesday he was resigning from his position over the failures of the Israeli military to prevent the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.
In a letter sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday, Halevi said he will resign effective March 6, after two years and two months in office. He also said in his letter he was resigning in keeping with his promise since Oct. 7 2023, to take responsibility for the failure that allowed Hamas to invade southern Israel.
“My responsibility for this terrible failure accompanies me every day and every hour. This will continue for the rest of my life,” he wrote.
Shortly after Halevi’s annoucement, the head of the Israeli military’s southern command, Yaron Finkelman, also announced his resignation.
Meanwhile head of the opposition party Yisrael Beitenu, Avigdor Liberman, called on Netanyahu and the rest of the cabinet ministers “to take responsibility and follow in the footsteps of Halevi.”
Jewish Power party head Itamar Ben-Gvir hailed Halevi’s resignation, saying, “I’m expecting the nomination of a strong and aggressive new chief of staff — one who will lead us to defeating Hamas.”
