Brig.-Gen. Erez Zuckerman, who commanded a division in the Second Lebanon War, says he failed - and is quitting.
Zuckerman appeared before IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi this week and informed him of his decision. Zuckerman explained that the division he commanded did not perform sufficiently well during the war, and he accepts personal responsibility for such. He commanded a division of reserve soldiers that fought in the eastern sector of Lebanon towards the end of the war.
The general added that he had wanted to resign immediately after the war, but decided to wait in order to help in the aftermath. "Even before the end of the war," he told Haaretz, "I felt that I had failed and decided to leave. However, I realized that resigning immediately was also a form of running away from responsibility. The ranks had to be shored up, stabilization was needed, and the division had to be trained. How, after nearly a year of efforts to implement the lessons learned, I feel that the division is ready for any mission" - which could include a war with Syria, analysts feel.
"I don't blame anyone other than myself," Zuckerman concluded.
Brig.-Gen. Zuckerman, 43, is considered a top IDF officer. His resume includes command over the Naval Commando and the Golani Brigade.
B'Sheva correspondent Hagit Rotenberg notes that over two years ago, when the army was preparing to carry out the expulsion aspect of the Disengagement, Zuckerman informed his superiors that his Golani Brigade would not be able to perform the mission. He said that in discussions with Golani officers and soldiers, he was told that many of them were likely to refuse orders or carry them out with no motivation. "The officers feel that they are being forced to decide if they are more loyal to their father or their mother," he was told, regarding the conflict between the army, democracy, the residents of Gush Katif, and the Land of Israel.
The Golani Brigade was not enlisted for the expulsion.