Major General Aharon Haliva, head of the Israeli army’s intelligence service, has resigned, taking responsibility for the failures that preceded the Hamas attack on Israel on the 7th of October, and admitting that the intelligence service he headed “failed to fulfil its mission”. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced that he would step down as soon as a successor is chosen, on Monday, the 22nd of April, reports the British broadcaster BBC.
He is the first high-ranking official to resign in the wake of the deadliest attack in Israel’s history.
In his resignation letter, Haliva expressed deep regret for the intelligence failures that preceded the Hamas attack on Israel.
“The intelligence unit under my command did not fulfil the entrusted task,”
he said in his resignation letter, adding that “day after day, night after night, I carry that black day with me. The terrible pain of war will always be with me”. Haliva also called for a national commission of inquiry to thoroughly investigate the factors and circumstances leading up to the attack.
Major General Haliv’s resignation was expected given that he had announced ten days after the attack that he took full responsibility for the intelligence failures of his directorate.
This announcement could be followed by other changes in the Israeli top security officials.
Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, IDF Chief of Staff, and Ronen Bar, Director of the Shin Bet security service, also took responsibility for the failure to protect Israelis, but decided to stay on.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that everyone, including himself, should be held accountable, although he did not take direct responsibility.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid told on X that Major General Haliva’s decision to resign was “justified and honourable” but
added that Netanyahu “should have done the same”.
Israeli military and intelligence officials ignored numerous warnings before hundreds of Hamas militants broke through the border fence and attacked Israeli communities, bases, and a music festival. The attack resulted in the killing of around 1 200 civilians and the taking of 253 hostages. Israel responded with a major military campaign aimed at destroying Hamas. According to the Hamas Ministry of Health, more than 34 000 Palestinians have died in the conflict.
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