Yesterday (Thursday) it was reported that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi had begun creating an internal investigation committee in the IDF, which would look into flaws with the army’s conduct, with a focus on the first day of the war (and perhaps even before it). The military has not yet confirmed the matter, but if there is any truth to it, it is the first official semi-formal inquiry committee to be set up, to try and figure out what went wrong on 7/10.
It should be emphasized that this is not the large “commission of inquiry” that many commentators and politicians have promised for the period after the war, since it will need to examine in depth the processes of information transfer and decision-making, and ultimately find some guilt. The IDF’s investigation is a study – an especially large-scale operational investigation, whose goal is to draw conclusions. Insights obtained from this investigation could be used by the IDF in the continuation of the war, especially in the face of the northern threat.
The investigation team has so far appointed five senior officials: Shaul Mofaz (former Chief of Staff and Minister of Defense during the Second Intifada and the Disengagement from the strip); Aharon Ze’evi-Farkash (head of Military Intelligence during that period, and a well-known commentator); Yoav Har-Eban (head of the Military operations and now Chairman of Rafael); Sami Turgeman (former Air Commander). Some criticized the choise of Mofaz, who was involved in the decision to make the disengagement that undoubtedly affected this war; but the problem is, we cannot really filter out anyone who has been totaly spoiled from the ‘Conception’, past or present.
In any case, it is known that one of the highest virtues of the Israeli Air Force is its self-investigation capability, which helps it to constantly improve, as a framework and as individuals. It is also good to see that our army is always in the process of operational learning, and is able to change and adapt during the war – especially when it comes to a war like this, which is expected to be especially prolonged.
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