The head of the Israeli army’s intelligence service, Aharon Haliva, resigned this Monday due to his “responsibility” for the terrorist attacks of October 7 Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), which left some 1200 killed and almost 240 kidnapped, and demanded the creation of an investigative committee to review security breaches related to the event.

“The head of the intelligence department, Aharon Haliva, in agreement with the head of the army (Herzi Halevi), demanded the termination of his mandate. for his command responsibility as head of the National Security Agency in the events of October 7,” the army statement said.

In his resignation letter, Khaliwa stressed that ““The intelligence department failed to cope with the task assigned to it.” and he admitted that he “knew that with power came great responsibility.” He also called for the creation of a state committee “that can exhaustively, deeply and accurately investigate and determine all the factors and circumstances that led to these difficult events.”

Thus, the Israeli army explained that the decision “received the approval of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant” and emphasized that “Haliva will cease his functions and leave the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). “as soon as his replacement has been appointed through an orderly and professional process.”

The army also emphasized that Halevi “expressed in his petition his great appreciation for the actions of IDF officers during the war,” referring to the offensive launched against the Gaza Strip after the October 7 attacks, while Halevithanked Haliva for 38 years of service in the IDFduring which he, as a soldier and as a commander, made a great contribution to ensuring the security of the country.”

Khaliwa becomes like this first senior Israeli political or military official to resign due to security failures surrounding the Hamas and Islamic Jihad attacks on October 7, followed by the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip that has killed an estimated 34,100 people to date, amid fears that the conflict will expand in the region.

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For this reason, main opposition leader and former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid repeated his call to current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “do the same thing” as Khaliwa and tender his resignation.

“With power comes great responsibility”Lapid announced this on his account on the social network X, referring to part of Khaliwa’s resignation letter. “The resignation of the head of military intelligence is justified and honorable. It would be appropriate for Netanyahu to do the same,” he concluded.

(Europe Press)