Why did the Israelis describe the resignation of the commander of the ground forces as an earthquake? | Politics

Aljazeera.net correspondents

Occupied Jerusalem Military analysts consider the resignation of the commander of the Israeli army’s ground forces, Major General Tamir Yadai, as an “earthquake” in the leadership of the General Staff and a “headache” for its chief, Herzi Halevi. The disagreements within the military establishment reflected everything related to the failure to prevent the “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack and achieve the goals of the war on Gaza, as well as the controversy over appointments and promotions in the army.

Although it was said that the resignation was for “personal reasons,” military analysts’ estimates rule this out, and they agree that it comes in the context of the resignations of senior army officers and the struggle over appointments to leadership positions in the General Staff.

Yadai’s resignation, which will take effect in a few weeks, was preceded by the resignation of the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate “Aman” Aharon Haliva, the commander of the “Gaza Division” Brigadier General Avi Rosenfeld, and the commander of “Unit 8200” of the Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Yossi Sariel, who will end his duties soon.

Disagreement over appointments

The correspondent and military commentator on the Walla website, Amir Bouhbot, points out that the resignation or termination of the position comes as a result of hidden disagreements within the General Staff over promotions and appointments in the army leadership, describing it as an “earthquake.”

Following the successive resignations and resignations from leadership positions in the army, Bouhbot explains that the General Staff has been on high alert recently, against the backdrop of the war on Gaza, discussions about the prisoner swap deal, and other expected changes in the hierarchy within the General Staff leadership.

The military correspondent says that the outgoing Ground Forces commander was considered a future candidate for the position of Deputy Chief of Staff, “but according to estimates, the current deputy Amir Baram will not end his position soon.” He believes that Yadai’s decision stems from an assessment that Halevi does not intend to recommend him for the position of the next Deputy Chief of Staff.

He adds that at the beginning of the war on Gaza, Yadai was one of the generals who pushed for the “ground maneuver” and expressed confidence in the reserve forces. During the past six months, he worked to raise the level of the capabilities of the ground forces and strengthen their strategic purchasing plans, contrary to the position of the General Staff, which hinted that the ground incursion had exhausted its mission.

In light of these resignations, Channel 14 military correspondent Elhanan Mazuz wonders whether the resigning Ground Forces Commander – who is considered the oldest and most experienced in the General Staff – intends to run for the position of Chief of Staff of the Army to succeed Halevi, suggesting that the resignation comes against the backdrop of disagreements over appointments to leadership positions in the General Staff, and after he became certain that Halevi had excluded him from any promotions, especially to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff.

Mazuz believes that the resignations in the army and the General Staff after October 7, 2023 indicate that many officers bear responsibility for the intelligence failure to prevent the “Al-Aqsa Flood.” These resignations also raise doubts and question marks regarding the nature of the appointments in the army and the promotions made by Halevi.

army disintegration

In an attempt to understand what is happening behind the scenes of the Israeli General Staff, the correspondent and military and security affairs analyst for Yedioth Ahronoth, Yossi Yehoshua, reviews the appointments that Halevi is making to the Chief of Staff in order to preserve the “identity of the army.”

Yehoshua points out that Halevi – who, along with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, bears responsibility for “the greatest security failure in Israel’s history” – is leading appointments that come in the context of disagreements within the military establishment and differences in positions with the political level and the government regarding the course of the war, as well as the future of the exchange deal and ceasefire negotiations.

The military analyst believes that Halevi will also resign at the “right time,” saying, “This may actually happen in the coming months, provided that a ceasefire agreement is reached, but Halevi continues to structure the future structure of the army.”

He explains that Halevi “does not act like the outgoing head of the Intelligence Division, or like those who resigned before him. Rather, he continues to make new appointments and promotions to fortify himself in his office, as if he has the legitimacy to shape the face of the army for years to come.”

The military analyst points out that Halevi believes that he is the one who is “saving the homeland” and is maneuvering excellently with the rift that has opened between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant, taking good advantage of their responsibility for the situation and their political weakness.

He added, “But he does not realize the extent of the damage he caused to the army during the war. During this era of the Chief of Staff, the army will not be rehabilitated, but rather what is happening will lead to its disintegration.”