Defense Minister Yisrael Katz on Wednesday morning responded to the media storm that erupted on Wednesday night following a publicized clash between him and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir regarding a series of senior IDF appointments.

Zamir had announced a series of appointments, which Katz quickly nipped in the bud and made clear that “in accordance with the law, he will be the only one who approves senior promotions.”

Kan News then published a report on Tuesday evening, which may explain Zamir’s reluctance to carry out many of the government’s plans, including its most recent plan to conquer Gaza City. According to the report, Zamir, who has been in constant clashes with the government since entering his position, regularly consults with a number of left-wing ex-IDF officers, including ex-chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi, Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Yisrael Ziv, ex-IDF spokesperson Avi Benayahu, and former Netanyahu spokesperson Liran Dan.

The report added that in a breach of IDF regulations, Zamir’s assistant, Col. Alon Laniado, is in close contact with media outlets and regularly provides briefings to journalists. IDF regulations permit only the IDF spokesperson’s unit to brief journalists.

Katz stated on Wednesday morning that “after the events of October 7th, there is no longer an army that is not under supervision.”

“As the Defense Minister who is responsible for the IDF and accountable to the citizens of the State of Israel—and to them alone—I will continue to closely monitor and guide the IDF and the defense establishment…including the use of force in various arenas and force building, and strict supervision of appointments.”

“According to the law, I am responsible for approving appointments from the rank of colonel and above, and the chief of staff only recommends the various options. Therefore, a procedure of early consultation between the Defense Minister and the Chief of Staff was formulated, a procedure that must be carried out in an orderly manner and in early discussions, as it has been since I took office as Defense Minister.”

Katz also referred to the Kan News report, stating, “The attempt to now change procedures, perhaps on the advice of anti-government advisors stirring the pot, and to replace them with an attempt to establish facts on the ground in improvised meetings—will not succeed.”

“And to all the former critics and moralizers—a little humility wouldn’t hurt. Read the investigations published by the IDF on what happened in the IDF during your terms in senior command positions—on the misguided decision-making regarding force building, on the arrogance, blindness, and condescension, on the lack of supervision, and on the depth of the enormous failure—read and bow your heads.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)