Defense minister vs IDF brass: Katz orders to cancel new appointment for intel officer responsible for Oct 7 failures

In the latest round of public sparring between the Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, Katz ordered the army to cancel a new appointment for an officer directly involved in the intelligence failures leading up to Oct. 7.

The IDF announced yesterday that Lt. Col. A., who had served as the Gaza Division’s intelligence officer on Oct. 7, would receive a new post as a project manager in the Intelligence Directorate’s Unit 9900.

In response, Katz released a public statement saying he “ordered the IDF to cancel the appointment” of Lt. Col. A., “who ignored the observers’ warnings on the eve of the events of October 7.”

“The Defense Minister also reminds the Chief of Staff of his directive to avoid any appointment of those who were involved in the events of October 7 and to finish the IDF's investigations by the end of this month – including the investigation into the events of October 6th and 7th, so that the families can be updated and the public - and draw the necessary conclusions, including on the issue of appointments in the IDF.”

As the highest intelligence officer in the division, it was Lt. Col. A. who ignored a detailed report from a non-commissioned officer in the division, who, just months before, warned against the exact scenario of a Hamas invasion.

A. reportedly replied, “The scenario being described is completely imaginary, and we need to see where we filter out what is meant for the purpose of the showing off and displaying abilities, and what is realistic.”

Despite the gross failure, officer A. continued at his highly sensitive post until August 2024, when he announced a request to end his duties before the appointed term in a seeming acknowledgment of responsibility.

However, he insisted on remaining in the IDF and instead of quitting, exhausted all his remaining vacation days. When the vacation ended, he was appointed to his new post in Unit 9900 by Halevi and IDF Intelligence (Aman) commander Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder, who as former Operations Directorate Commander is also directly implicated in the Oct. 7 failures.

The IDF later stated that A. was not “appointed” but “assigned” to his new position, which didn’t include any intelligence or command role, until the ongoing investigations into the Oct. 7 failures are complete.

Lt. Col. A. also ignored warnings from the division’s field observers, who had seen the Hamas terrorists drill the same type of invasion they would later carry out.

Avi Marciano, the father of the kidnapped and killed field observer Noa Marciano, told Army Radio he couldn’t believe the reports that A. had received a new post.

“The ears hear, the head refuses to believe. The Gaza Division intelligence commander is one of the first who should’ve taken responsibility and [should] disappear from the army and from the eyes of all of us.”

“One of the main people responsible for our failure and disaster. This is simply spitting in our face and our girls' face and in the face of the entire public,” Marciano said.

Army Radio’s military correspondent Doron Kadosh pointed out that the case of A. is not the only one. “Chief of Staff Halevy and Aman Chief Binder found work arrangements for other ‘unemployed’ intelligence officers who were involved in the intelligence failure,” Kadosh wrote.

He cited the examples of the former intelligence officer of the Southern Command, Col. A., who was transferred to be the IDF representative at the National Cyber ​​Headquarters, and former head of Aman’s operation division Brig.-Gen. G., who was recently appointed to a parallel position in another security body.

“The Chief of Staff and the head of Aman creatively circumvented the directive of the Defense Minister not to appoint new Brigadier Generals and above [ranks], and loaned him to another body that is not subordinate to the Defense Minister,” Kadosh said.

Since taking over for Yoav Gallant in November, Katz has publicly traded barbs with the IDF several times. Last week, he instructed Halevi to “fully cooperate” with the state comptroller’s investigation into the Oct. 7 failures.”

In his statement, Katz also reminded Halevi “of his directive to finish the [internal] investigations being carried out by the IDF by the end of this month and to present to him with the investigations that are already prepared at a faster pace, so that he can examine them and assess their impact on the planned rounds of appointments in the IDF.”

Moving away from Gallant’s policy, Katz told the IDF he would not approve any new appointments above the rank of Colonel until the army’s internal investigations are complete.