Mordechai Kahane
Mordechai KahaneIDF Spokespersons Unit

Brigadier General Mordechai Kahane will only face disciplinary charges and will not undergo criminal proceedings for illegally possessing to weaponry seized from Hamas fighters.

Military Advocate General Sharon Afek announced on Thursday that Kahane will be disciplined for behavior unbecoming of an officer, unlawful possession of equipment and failure to comply with military orders.

In his decision, Afek criticized Kahane for possessing the weaponry in contravention of military orders, saying that Kahane was supposed to lead by personal example due to his senior rank. "He is supposed to act as a personal example for fulfilling army orders stringently,” Afek said.

Kahane was suspended in October after IDF military police found that the high ranking officer possessed a small arsenal of weaponry seized from enemy fighters, including pistols, an AK-47, knives, and night vision equipment. Kahane stored the contraband in a personal container in his IDF base.

Kahane's lawyers told the press they were satisfied with the decision not to open criminal proceedings against the decorated officer. "We welcome the decision to close the investigation with disciplinary measures only," said Ariel Hevron, who represented Kahane. "We are convinced that this process will end in a proper and appropriate manner. "

"Brig. Gen. Kahane completed an impressive service of 28 years in the IDF, most of it in combat and command positions. He will continue to contribute to Israel's security as best he can, and his decision to leave the IDF testifies to his personal responsibility."

Kahane is a highly decorated officer and led some of the IDF's most storied units, including the elite Egoz battalion during the Second Lebanon War. Despite hailing from the Religious Zionist community, he raised hackles among senior rabbis for deciding to command the IDF's Border Defense Corps, which is comprised of several gender-segregated combat units.