IDF Chief of General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi, is set to travel Sunday night on an official visit to the United States.
During the visit (Feb. 17-20), Halevi is slated to meet with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), and other senior US military officials to discuss “key strategic and operational issues,” the IDF said in its announcement.
Deputy Chief of General Staff, MG Amir Baram will fill Halevi’s position during the visit.
“During the ‘Swords of Iron’ War, cooperation between the two militaries has been exceptional,” the IDF said. “The Chief of the General Staff will take the opportunity to express his gratitude to his counterparts for their support, commitment, and personal ties. Additionally, he will explore ways to further enhance this cooperation.”
Halevi Apologizes to Freed Surveillance Soldiers
Last week, Halevi met with four of the five female surveillance soldiers recently freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza.
The IDF Chief apologized to the soldiers for their long captivity, and for the warnings about unusual Hamas activity not having been taken seriously, thus leading to the October 7 invasion and massacre by thousands of Hamas-led terrorists in southern Israel.
The surveillance soldiers spent months trying to convince their superiors that suspicious activity was taking place along the Gaza border less than a mile away. The officers who received the reports took no action and the information was considered unimportant and irrelevant but those in intelligence.
“It was wrong not to have taken you seriously; you were amazing soldiers,” Halevi said in remarks leaked to Israeli media. “I apologize for what you experienced in captivity.”
The soldiers recounted their experiences during the meeting, describing their abduction from the Nahal Oz military base and the struggles they faced during captivity.
Halevi told them the IDF will investigate everything that took place on October 7, 2023, at the base and urged them to participate in the probe.
‘Don’t Be Fazed by Videos of Hamas Operatives in Neatly Pressed Uniforms’
The IDF Chief also visited with soldiers of the Israeli Navy’s elite Shayetet 13 commando unit last week to discuss their operations over the past 16 months.
“Do not be fazed by videos of Hamas operatives standing in neatly pressed uniforms at the hostage release ‘ceremonies’ in Gaza,” Halevi told the fighters.
“These are the same terrorists who, before the ceasefire, were afraid to face you, who hid their uniforms and sat in a tent in Al Mawasi dressed as civilians. Once the ceasefire began, they ironed their uniforms and stood tall on stage, puffing out their chests. When we return, they will once again understand who we are and who they are — that is how this should be viewed.
“We have endurance, we have strength, we have a backbone, and we have great determination. We build this up from the ground up and from the top down. If our directives, our orders, and your actions align under the chain of command, nothing can break it,” he said.
Halevi is slated to complete his service on March 6. He will be succeeded in his post by incoming IDF Chief of General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir, who has served up to the point as the director-general of Israel’s Ministry of Defense.
