In a stunning development that has rocked Israel’s military establishment, Major General Aharon Haliva, the head of the country’s military intelligence directorate, has tendered his resignation over the failures that led to the unprecedented and deadly Hamas attack on October 7th, 2023. This resignation marks the first time a senior Israeli figure has stepped down in the wake of the attack, which claimed the lives of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw around 250 hostages taken into Gaza.
The resignation of Haliva, who had previously accepted responsibility for not preventing the assault, could potentially open the floodgates for more resignations among Israel’s top security brass. The scale of the intelligence failure that allowed Hamas militants to blast through Israel’s border defenses and rampage through Israeli communities unchallenged for hours has shattered the public’s faith in the country’s vaunted security apparatus.
In his resignation letter, Haliva wrote, “The intelligence directorate under my command did not live up to the task we were entrusted with. I carry that black day with me ever since, day after day, night after night. I will carry the horrible pain of the war with me forever.” His decision to step down comes as Israel finds itself embroiled in a multi-front conflict, battling Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in the north, and tensions with Iran at an all-time high.
The timing of Haliva’s resignation has been a subject of debate, with some military experts arguing that resignations during active conflicts could be interpreted as a sign of weakness. However, others believe that such a move is necessary to restore the public’s trust in the military and pave the way for accountability.
The resignation has been welcomed by Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, who called it “justified and dignified.” Lapid further stated that “it would be appropriate for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do the same,” reflecting the growing calls for Netanyahu’s resignation in the wake of the attack.
The Hamas attack, which occurred on a Jewish holiday, caught Israel’s security establishment entirely off guard and shattered the country’s sense of security. The resignation of Haliva, a high-ranking official directly responsible for providing intelligence warnings and daily alerts, is seen as a crucial step in restoring the public’s faith in the military’s ability to protect its citizens.
As Jews around the world prepare to celebrate Passover, a festival commemorating the biblical exodus of Jews from slavery in Egypt, the mood in Israel is somber. With around 130 people still held captive in Gaza, the celebration of freedom is overshadowed by the ongoing hostage crisis and the devastating consequences of the war.
The war itself has taken a staggering toll, with more than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza killed according to the local health ministry. The ministry’s count does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, but it estimates that at least two-thirds of the dead are children and women. The fighting has devastated Gaza’s two largest cities and driven 80% of the territory’s population to flee to other parts of the besieged coastal enclave, sparking a humanitarian catastrophe with warnings of imminent famine.
The repercussions of the attack have also reverberated throughout the region, exacerbating tensions with Hezbollah and Iran, as well as fueling unrest in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and within Israel itself. On Monday, a car slammed into pedestrians in Jerusalem, injuring three, before the two occupants fled the scene with a rifle, underscoring the precarious security situation.
As Israel grapples with the aftermath of the Hamas attack and the ongoing conflicts on multiple fronts, the resignation of Major General Aharon Haliva represents a pivotal moment in the country’s efforts to hold its security establishment accountable and restore public confidence in its ability to protect its citizens. With calls for further resignations and even the potential resignation of Prime Minister Netanyahu gaining traction, the road ahead for Israel remains fraught with challenges and difficult decisions.CopyRetry
In a stunning development that has rocked Israel’s military establishment, Major General Aharon Haliva, the head of the country’s military intelligence directorate, has tendered his resignation over the failures that led to the unprecedented and deadly Hamas attack on October 7th, 2023. This resignation marks the first time a senior Israeli figure has stepped down in the wake of the attack, which claimed the lives of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw around 250 hostages taken into Gaza.
The resignation of Haliva, who had previously accepted responsibility for not preventing the assault, could potentially open the floodgates for more resignations among Israel’s top security brass. The scale of the intelligence failure that allowed Hamas militants to blast through Israel’s border defenses and rampage through Israeli communities unchallenged for hours has shattered the public’s faith in the country’s vaunted security apparatus.
In his resignation letter, Haliva wrote, “The intelligence directorate under my command did not live up to the task we were entrusted with. I carry that black day with me ever since, day after day, night after night. I will carry the horrible pain of the war with me forever.” His decision to step down comes as Israel finds itself embroiled in a multi-front conflict, battling Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in the north, and tensions with Iran at an all-time high.
The timing of Haliva’s resignation has been a subject of debate, with some military experts arguing that resignations during active conflicts could be interpreted as a sign of weakness. However, others believe that such a move is necessary to restore the public’s trust in the military and pave the way for accountability.
The resignation has been welcomed by Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, who called it “justified and dignified.” Lapid further stated that “it would be appropriate for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do the same,” reflecting the growing calls for Netanyahu’s resignation in the wake of the attack.
The Hamas attack, which occurred on a Jewish holiday, caught Israel’s security establishment entirely off guard and shattered the country’s sense of security. The resignation of Haliva, a high-ranking official directly responsible for providing intelligence warnings and daily alerts, is seen as a crucial step in restoring the public’s faith in the military’s ability to protect its citizens.
As Jews around the world prepare to celebrate Passover, a festival commemorating the biblical exodus of Jews from slavery in Egypt, the mood in Israel is somber. With around 130 people still held captive in Gaza, the celebration of freedom is overshadowed by the ongoing hostage crisis and the devastating consequences of the war.
The war itself has taken a staggering toll, with more than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza killed according to the local health ministry. The ministry’s count does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, but it estimates that at least two-thirds of the dead are children and women. The fighting has devastated Gaza’s two largest cities and driven 80% of the territory’s population to flee to other parts of the besieged coastal enclave, sparking a humanitarian catastrophe with warnings of imminent famine.
The repercussions of the attack have also reverberated throughout the region, exacerbating tensions with Hezbollah and Iran, as well as fueling unrest in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and within Israel itself. On Monday, a car slammed into pedestrians in Jerusalem, injuring three, before the two occupants fled the scene with a rifle, underscoring the precarious security situation.
As Israel grapples with the aftermath of the Hamas attack and the ongoing conflicts on multiple fronts, the resignation of Major General Aharon Haliva represents a pivotal moment in the country’s efforts to hold its security establishment accountable and restore public confidence in its ability to protect its citizens. With calls for further resignations and even the potential resignation of Prime Minister Netanyahu gaining traction, the road ahead for Israel remains fraught with challenges and difficult decisions.
