On January 21, 2025, the Israeli news outlet Ynet posted a video showing former Israeli Prime Minister Menahem Begin speaking while he was still the leader of the opposition. It was in the aftermath of the Israeli army’s failure to be prepared on October 6, 1973, when Israel was attacked by Syrian and Egyptian forces. Consequently, Israel’s army Chief of Staff, General David Elazar resigned. “Is it possible that the Chief of Staff will resign, and his superior, the Minister of Defense will remain in office?” Begin asks in his typical oratorical manner. He then continues to ask, “Is it plausible that the Minister of Defense will leave office and his superior, the Prime Minister, will stay?”
Ynet posted this video immediately after General Herzi Halevi, the Israeli army Chief of Staff announced his resignation due to the failures of October 7, 2023. The message Ynet was conveying was the same as that of Menachem Begin: The buck does not stop, or rather should not stop with the military and the government should take responsibility for the failure. In a rather long and detailed public announcement with the Gaza concentration camp in the background, General Halevi said that he takes responsibility for the failure of October 7, 2023, but also for the success the army has had since……more
