Wave of resignations rocks Israel’s military and intelligence leadership

Israel’s defence and military hierarchy appears to be undergoing a seismic shift as a spate of high-profile resignations continues to dominate headlines. Reports of impending and actual departures are creating ripples in the country’s political and security spheres.

On the evening of January 21, ITV Channel 14 announced that Ronen Bar, the head of the General Security Service (Shabak), had confided to close associates his intention to resign “as soon as possible”, Caliber.Az reports referring to Israeli media. This revelation follows a string of similar announcements from other top-ranking officials.

Among the notable figures reportedly set to step down are Major General Ghassan Alian, the coordinator of government activities in the territories, and Major General Nitzan Alon, a member of the team negotiating with Hamas. Both are said to be preparing to end their service imminently. Adding to the uncertainty, it’s been suggested that the commanders of the Air Force and Navy may also face dismissal in the near future.

Further fueling speculation, social media buzzed with rumours on the morning of January 22 that Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the Chief Military Prosecutor, is resigning. However, these claims remain unverified, as no official announcement has been made by Israeli authorities or media outlets.

The turmoil doesn’t stop there. Just days ago, IDF Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi publicly declared his decision to resign, a move that was quickly followed by a similar announcement from Major General Yaron Finkelman, Commander of the IDF Southern District.

The wave of departures has left observers speculating about the underlying causes of this leadership exodus. While no concrete reasons have been disclosed, the simultaneous nature of these resignations raises questions about potential systemic challenges within Israel's defence and intelligence apparatus.

By Tamilla Hasanova