The Israeli Defense Forces carried out the first major wave of dismissals tied to the catastrophic Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, removing or reprimanding several senior officers after a series of internal probes found widespread failures, Ynet News reported.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir summoned a roster of commanders who served before and during the massacre, informing them that the findings of the Turgeman Committee — a panel overseeing the IDF's internal investigations — required personal accountability and command action.
The panel reviewed what it described as extensive intelligence, operational, and preparedness failures across several divisions.
Among the most significant decisions: Maj. Gen. Oded Basyuk, who led the IDF's Operations Directorate at the start of the war, was removed from reserve duty. Basyuk finished his active role last summer and had been considered for senior Defense Ministry positions.
Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, who headed the Operations Division at the time of the attack and is now chief of Military Intelligence, received a formal reprimand but will remain in his position until the end of his term. Binder requested to retire only after completing his service as intelligence chief.
Zamir also dismissed former Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva from reserve service.
Haliva, who had already taken public responsibility for the intelligence collapse that preceded the attack, told Zamir, "I asked not to serve in the reserves. I took full responsibility, I conducted the investigations, and I expect a state commission of inquiry," according to Ynet.
Former Southern Command leader Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, who resigned shortly after Oct. 7 but remained in service, was informed he would end his military career and be removed from reserve duty.
Additional dismissals included the former Gaza Division intelligence officer (identified only as Lt. Col. A.) and the former head of the Operations Brigade in Military Intelligence, Brig. Gen. G., according to the report.
Unit 8200 commander Yossi Sharel, who oversaw Israel's signals intelligence during the attack, was summoned but did not appear, citing scheduling issues. Zamir notified him by phone that he was also being removed from reserve service. Sharel said he had already accepted personal responsibility and did not intend to continue in the reserves.
Command reprimands were also issued to Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar and Navy Commander David Saar Salama, reflecting failures related to counter-drone preparedness and coastal surveillance.
The Turgeman Committee — led by Maj. Gen. (res.) Sami Turgeman — concluded that while some investigations were thorough, others were incomplete or deeply flawed. The panel flagged several areas still needing review, including Israel's handling of various iterations of Hamas' "Jericho Wall" attack plan, long known to Israeli intelligence.
The dismissals come as Israel remains locked in a fierce political battle over whether to create a full state commission of inquiry. Zamir recently said he supports a broad, external review, though not necessarily a formal state commission.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to oppose a state inquiry, with critics accusing the government of trying to shield itself from blame.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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