IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi has begun the process of appointing a team to investigate the events leading up to Israel being surprised on October 7 by Hamas’s invasion and massacre of 1,200 Israelis and other nationalities in the South.
If nothing changes, the investigative team is expected to be headed by former defense minister and former IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz.
He would be joined by former IDF Intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. Aharon Zeevi Farkash and former IDF Southern Command chief Sami Turgeman.
The three, besides being top former officials, have filled the three roles which most must be investigated – the role of Halevi, the role of current IDF intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. Aharon Haliva and the role of current IDF Southern Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Yaron Finkelman, as well as those of their predecessors in the same jobs.
Mofaz was IDF chief until 2002 and defense minister until 2006, so he was not part of the “strategic concept” of deterrence with Hamas - which did not come to power in Gaza until 2007.
Likewise, Zeevi Farkash was IDF intelligence chief until 2006, also disconnected from any conflict of interest or being blamed.
Turgeman was southern command chief until 2015, so it is unclear if he will face accusations of a conflict of interest, though even he is more than eight years removed from the October 7 invasion. He also commanded forces during the 2014 Gaza war, a 50-day conflict which could give him helpful perspective.
Former IDF Maj.-Gen. Yoav Har-Even, who has been CEO of Rafael, may have a role in spin-off aspects of the probe, since there will be critical side issues, including legal ones.
Probe comes as IDF enters new phase of war
The investigation kicks into gear as the IDF is transitioning out of its “main war” status into low-intensity conflict fighting which could easily draw out for three to nine months.
Top IDF officials are expected to resign at some point in 2024 over the failure to prevent Hamas’s invasion.
Also, the IDF investigatory process may spur forward a State Commission of Inquiry, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tried to delay to date.
The IDF stated that the investigation process has not yet started; it is still in the planning stages and the chief of staff is finalizing the investigative teams. When things are entirely finalized, the IDF statement continued, there will be an official announcement.