This past week, the Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, summarized an inquiry into IDF conduct during the recent attack on an IDF ambulance on the northern border.
According to the IDF spokesperson, "the Chief of Staff concluded that the combat preparations had achieved their objectives. At the same time, the Chief of Staff determined that the movement of a military vehicle beyond a roadblock, in front of enemy-controlled territory, was a serious operational failure."
"The inquiry's conclusions indicate deficiencies in the battalion’s command and control processes during deployment, and that despite instructions from his commanders, the deputy battalion commander approved the movement of the specific military vehicle on the prohibited axis. In addition, the inquiry indicates that the regional brigade conducted insufficient monitoring and supervision over the movement on the roads.
"Having said this, the review reveals that the threat-adapted defense effort and the deployment of forces throughout the area, along with blocking of roads, made it difficult for the enemy to identify and hit targets over the course of many days," the spokesperson added.
"With regard to the topic of command, the Chief of Staff set standards for responding to errors. The Chief of Staff distinguished between three different situations: routine, operational activity, and operational activity under fire. The Chief of Staff emphasized that in operational activities the attitude towards mistakes should be eased compared to during routine, this due to the fact that during operational activity in general, and under fire in particular, there is room to consider the duress and characteristics of the operational activities.
"The decision-making process, in preparation for defending against anti-tank fire during the evacuation of the Avivim Base, can be defined as operational, but not under fire. The Chief of Staff finds it appropriate to comment on the command method of a number of commanders for their incorrect decision-making, as well as support those commanders operating in the field."
"The Chief of Staff decided to reprimand the battalion deputy commander, on the issue of authorizing travel on a prohibited road. The battalion commander will also be reprimanded for the way in which he evacuated and protected Camp Avivim, which was not done according to procedures.
"In addition, the Chief of Staff stated that those involved in the incident, among them the commander of the regional brigade and officers in the artillery battalion, will be summoned to their commanders for clarifications," the spokesperson concluded.