The dismissed security coordinator of the community of Yitzhar was heard in a closed WhatsApp conversation on Friday leveling sharp criticism at Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan and regional security officials.
He claimed that after being removed from his position, he was disconnected from work-related communication groups and operational channels, causing him to arrive late at the scene of the deadly terrorist attack.
According to the security coordinator, the delay resulted from a decision by the Samaria Regional Council head together with senior military officials to remove him from all relevant groups.
"As a result, no one knew how to get to the scene until they arrived," he said. "And when they did, they handled it terribly. I don't know what to tell you."
The official reason given by the IDF for his dismissal was that he had entered Palestinian villages without authorization. Residents, however, claimed he "did not align with the military's operational approach and was considered too aggressive by the brigade commander."
Following the dismissal, the Yitzhar secretariat issued a statement accusing authorities of "completely abandoning residents' security" and attempting to punish the community because of "ego battles" within the Samaria Regional Council's security department.
"It is unacceptable that, two and a half years after the events of October 7, dangerous steps are being taken that harm operational readiness, weapons availability, and the flow of information to the community's security forces," the statement said. It called on Dagan to intervene immediately and restore "basic security" to Yitzhar residents.
The Samaria Regional Council responded at the time by saying it was closely monitoring developments regarding the Yitzhar security coordinator and was working to promote a solution that would provide the best possible outcome for all parties.