Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held separate meetings on Tuesday with Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir in a bid to defuse a public dispute between the two senior security officials. The clash erupted after Katz ordered a re-investigation of an external review into the Israel Defense Forces’ handling of the failures surrounding the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Zamir sharply criticized Katz’s decision, accusing him of political interference and warning that freezing senior IDF promotions for 30 days was damaging the army’s preparedness. He defended the original review, led by Maj. Gen. (res.) Sami Turgeman and other former senior officers, noting that it was designed to assess the quality of the IDF’s internal investigations and draw professional lessons, not to be used for political purposes.
The IDF chief argued that the army has been the only body to thoroughly investigate its own failures and assume responsibility. He said any further review should be carried out by an external, objective and independent committee that would also examine the relationship between the military and the political leadership. Zamir warned that freezing promotions harms the IDF’s operational capability and readiness for future challenges.
Katz, for his part, has maintained that he is acting within his authority, saying that the defense establishment comptroller will submit conclusions within 30 days, after which he will decide on senior appointments. Netanyahu’s office stated that the prime minister is determined to resolve the issues and has urged both Katz and Zamir to lower the public tone of their disagreement and keep the focus on national security.