Defense Minister Katz and new IDF Chief Zamir clash publicly over investigation of senior IDF officer

Defense Minister Israel Katz and newly appointed Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir engaged in their first public confrontation, following the launch of a military investigation into Brig.-Gen. Oren Solomon, who led an internal military probe into the Southern Command's failures during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. 

Brig.-Gen. Solomon wrote a letter to Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming that the military tried to cover up his investigation and then he was summoned for questioning by the military enforcement authorities. 

On Monday, military police officers came to Solomon’s home, conducted searches, and summoned him for questioning by the Military Police Investigation Unit.

Before leaving his house, Solomon wrote the letter to Katz and Netanyahu, claiming, “The background to this cooked-up investigation is the findings of the multi-level investigation that I have led in recent months.” 

Defense Minister Katz, upon receiving the letter issued a statement expressing his concern with the chain of events. 

"The fact that Brigadier General Solomon, who conducted an investigation with permission and authority into the Southern Command events on October 7, in which he criticized the functioning of the senior echelon in the IDF, is being investigated is puzzling, and I intend to demand that the Chief of Staff examine the conduct of the Military Prosecution Service on the matter," Katz stated.

He added: "The impression must not be created that the MPIU investigations are a tool to silence internal criticism in the IDF that is so necessary in order to bring the full details to the attention of the families and the public and to draw internal lessons in the IDF.” 

Katz also said that he ordered Brig.-Gen. Solomon to be allowed to present the findings of his investigation to him “as soon as possible.” 

“I have ordered that Brig.-Gen. Oren Solomon be summoned to me as soon as possible so that he can present me with the investigation he carried out on the massacre, which I have not yet seen,” Katz said. 

The IDF Chief of Staff was apparently upset that Minister Katz issued a public statement implying the military was attempting to silence criticism, instead of raising the issue directly with IDF leadership. 

Chief of Staff Zamir wrote a response to Minister Katz’ statement appearing to imply interference in the IDF's internal conduct and harm to the powers of the IDF's command structure. 

“The chief of staff does not receive instructions through announcements in the media,” Zamir wrote in response.

“The claim that the officer was interrogated for his part in the October 7 investigations is false and baseless. The officer was summoned for questioning due to suspicions of serious information security offenses. The investigation will continue to be conducted professionally and matter-of-factly. I support the law enforcement agencies in the IDF, which are acting in accordance with the law to investigate suspicions, as required.” 

Tuesday morning, Minister Katz’ office responded with a sharp message on the incident and a reminder of the government hierarchy. 

“The Minister of Defense gives instructions to the Chief of Staff, who is subordinate to the political echelon, in any way he sees fit,” Katz’s office said, “and the Chief of Staff's response on the matter was unnecessary and out of place.” 

Katz’ office also claimed that a direct message was conveyed to the IDF prior to the public statement, which it said was necessary due to the public interest regarding the investigations into the Oct. 7 events. 

“The instruction to the Chief of Staff to examine the circumstances that led to the investigation and the allegations presented in the letter written by Brig. Gen. Solomon to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense regarding the IDF's conduct towards him against the background of the critical investigation he carried out, was given directly before the announcement was issued to the media due to the public aspect – and this without any intention of harming the investigation itself conducted by the Military Advocate General's Office,” the statement continued.

“The media discourse on the issue, which will be dealt with in other ways, must be stopped now.” 

Following the statement from Katz’ office on Tuesday morning, the IDF issued a statement in response, clarifying that Brig.-Gen. Solomon had not been arrested, but an investigation is ongoing. 

“A police investigation was opened against the officer on suspicion of serious information security violations, following findings that emerged in an initial examination and required a deeper investigation. The officer was not arrested, he was summoned for questioning and appeared for it. The investigation is in its early stages and it is not possible to comment on the actions taken.”