In an apparent sign of thawing ties with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Defense Minister Israel Katz seemed to backtrack on Wednesday from his order that a review of the military’s internal probes into the failures on October 7, 2023, be re-investigated.
Katz said he met with Zamir on Tuesday, and they agreed to merge the military’s “supplementary investigations” for the initial probes with the minister’s effort to have the defense establishment comptroller conduct a new review.
Last month, Zamir received the findings of an external review of the IDF’s internal October 7 probes led by Maj. Gen. (res.) Sami Turgeman, who found that some of the initial investigations by the military were inadequate and that several topics that were not investigated at all.
Zamir then instructed various IDF units to complete their investigations, and appointed former officers to investigate topics that were not previously probed, chief among them the military’s failed handling of intelligence reports that outlined Hamas’s intent to launch a wide-scale attack against Israel.
Clashing with Zamir last month, Katz ordered the defense establishment comptroller to investigate Turgeman’s review of the internal October 7 probes within 30 days, and said he was freezing all senior promotions in the military until then.
Get The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the terms
However, in a statement announcing his Wednesday meeting with Zamir, the defense minister said that instead of conducting a full review, Defense Establishment Comptroller Brig. Gen. (res.) Yair Volansky would only be “an observer” in the IDF’s investigation into the intelligence reports of Hamas’s attack plan, codenamed in the army “Jericho’s Walls.”
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (left) and Maj. Gen. (res.) Sami Turgeman (right) present Defense Minister Israel Katz (center) with the findings made by a panel of former senior officers tasked with evaluating the military’s probes into the October 7 attack, on November 9, 2025. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)
Katz said the comptroller would also be updated on the other investigations ordered by Zamir to be completed, after their initial probes were deemed inadequate, including in the Operations Directorate and the Israeli Navy.
Additionally, Katz said the comptroller would review the Israeli Air Force’s October 7 investigation and the findings of Turgeman’s team regarding Brig. Gen. Omer Tischler, who served as chief of staff at the IAF on October 7, as Zamir seeks to promote Tischler to IAF commander.
Brig. Gen. Omer Tischler, the IAF’s chief of staff, issues a video statement December 27, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)
In another sign of thawing ties between the two top defense officials, on Monday Katz met with Zamir and approved the IDF chief’s list of promotions in the military, undoing the earlier freeze.
Katz said that he had approved the entire list, except for the promotion of Col. (res.) German Giltman, who already said he was withdrawing his candidacy.
Giltman, who retired from the IDF in 2022, was set to be promoted to brigadier general and return to the military to serve in a senior role in the Ground Forces. Katz said he wouldn’t approve the promotion, citing Giltman’s apparent involvement in the Brothers in Arms anti-government protest group.
Col. (res.) German Giltman (center) is seen with other members of the ‘Brothers in Arms’ reservist protest group, during a press conference in Tel Aviv, March 21, 2023. (REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
A senior IDF officer said the conversation between Zamir and Katz was “businesslike” and was held in “a good atmosphere.”
“We continue forward, the security of the country above all else,” the officer said in a statement to reporters.
The list of promotions announced by Zamir and approved by Katz included another officer promoted to brigadier general and 28 promoted to colonel, as well as one brigadier general and nine colonels who are moving to new positions at the same rank.
Watch DocuNation Season 3: The Heart of Israel
when you join the ToI Community
In this season of DocuNation, you can stream five outstanding Israeli documentaries with English subtitles and then join a live online discussion with the filmmakers. The selected films show Israel beyond the conflict: a place of storytellers and musicians, of dreamers, makers, and communities rooted in meaning and trust.
When you watch DocuNation, you’re also supporting Israeli creators at a time when it’s increasingly difficult for them to share their work globally.
To learn more about DocuNation: The Heart of Israel, click here.
Support ToI and get DocuNation
Support ToI and get DocuNation
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You appreciate our journalism
You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.
Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.
So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you’ll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel