Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant issued a joint statement in which they express opposition to criticism against senior members of the security services, a day after Netanyahu's son Yair shared a post by journalist Erez Tadmor which claimed that Halevi had turned the military into the only one in the world that doesn’t impose discipline, instead inviting refusers to “seminars to release tension and discussion circles.”
"The Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense reject any attack against senior members of the security services, and support the commanders and soldiers of the IDF who work day and night for Israel's security. The two work in close cooperation and give full support to the Chief of Staff and the IDF officers to ensure the security of the country and its citizens," the statement said.
The post shared and deleted half an hour later by Yair Netanyahu was written by right wing journalist Erez Tadmor who wrote that "the Chief of Staff has been standing by for six months. For half a year, well-budgeted publicity agencies and thugs have been inciting refusals to serve, and you, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, have done nothing. Not only did you not judge or depose even one of the organizers and instigators, but you surrendered to them and became the ambassador of the refuseniks who demand that the government surrender to them. You did this in March and you're doing it again now."
"You understand, Mr. Halevi: it is impossible to turn reality on its head. As much as there is damage to the competence of certain units (and even now most of the headlines on the subject are spin and psychological warfare), the responsibility for this does not rest on the shoulders of the government, which is not ready to submit to the threats and fascist attempts of a handful of military personnel to subdue an elected government".
"The responsibility for this lies on the shoulders of the refusers, the threateners and the instigators, and also on your shoulders, Chief of Staff Halevi: the Chief of Staff who changed by 180 degrees the zero-tolerance policy that had been practiced in the IDF towards refusers since time immemorial. You decided that the IDF will become the only army in the world that does not impose discipline on rebels to deal with insubordination, but instead summons them to tension-releasing workshops and discussion groups. And now when it becomes clear, how surprising, that this is not a winning strategy, [you are] trying to shift the responsibility to the government."
In response, Minister Yoav Galant wrote: "Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi is one of the outstanding officers I have met in all my years in the IDF and in the security establishment - a brave, honest, matter-of-fact, cool-headed, thorough and level-headed commander. Many citizens in the country owe their lives to him. The people of Israel have forgotten that despite these complexities, Chief of Staff Halevi leads the IDF."
Member of Knesset Gideon Sa'ar (National Unity) wrote on his Twitter account: "Chief of Staff Major General Herzi Halevi is a worthy, moral and patriotic man and officer that any country would praise in his likeness. He is among an excellent and dedicated professional echelon that serves under the most failed, wretched and destructive government in Israel's history. This is how he will be remembered. This is how they will remember."
Member of Knesset Hili Tropper (National Unity) added: "The truth is that it seems that all the boundaries have already been crossed. From the point of view of the Prime Minister and his entourage, IDF Chief of Staff Major General Herzi Halevi has become a target for attacks. Yesterday they stepped in and the Prime Minister rebuked him, today his closest entourage accuses him of failure and in the crisis in the IDF. Well, this is an Israeli patriot who sacrifices his best years for the defense of the State of Israel, while risking his life and there is no end to the personal costs. The minimum is that the Israeli leadership will back him. How sad that again and again there are those in and around the coalition who turn their backs on him."
"Major General Hertzi Halevi is an Israeli hero. It would be better if the Prime Minister and the members of the coalition get busy smoothing the divisions within us, back up the Chief of Staff and the commanders of the IDF and allow them to continue to protect our lives and fight the enemies outside," Trooper said.
Member of Knesset Eli Dallal (Likud) responded: "They need to be more respectful. Anyone who calls for refusal to serve harms the IDF and the security of the state, and also anyone who criticizes and criticizes in a personal and baseless manner Chief of Staff Halevi harms the IDF and the security of the state. The entire people of Israel I appreciate and cherish the Chief of Staff in the complex and important task of protecting the State of Israel and the lives of its citizens."