IDF chief: Israel needs bold leadership that recognizes failure, doesn’t ‘frighten, evade’

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says Israel needs “courageous, transformative” leadership that does not “evade” responsibility, in remarks that appear to be thinly veiled criticism of the government, amid his public spat with Defense Minister Israel Katz over the military’s October 7 investigations and senior appointments in the IDF.

“Today, it is clear to us beyond any doubt… What is needed is courageous, purposeful, transformative leadership. Leadership that both recognizes failure and dares to drive change,” he says during a ceremony commemorating the 52nd anniversary of the death of Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, at Midreshet Ben-Gurion next to Sde Boker in southern Israel.

“Not leadership that frightens and stifles, but leadership that uplifts — leadership with inspiration. Not leadership that evades, but one that looks truth in the eye and sets a new direction,” he says.

“Command responsibility is to rebuild. That is the core essence of leadership,” he says.

Katz and Zamir traded barbs on Monday after the former ordered a re-investigation of the military’s external review of its earlier internal probes into the failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack.

In response, Zamir accused Katz of political interference and harming the military’s preparedness by freezing senior promotions — which the defense minister must approve — for 30 days.