Is the «Israeli» Army Unprepared for War?

Local Editor

The “Israeli” entity’s so-called state comptroller Yosef Shapira is weighing a probe of the “Israeli” Occupation Force’s readiness for future military conflict amid an escalating spat that has reached the highest levels of Israel's defense establishment.

According to Haaretz, Shapira has ordered the “Israeli” Occupation Forces [IOF] to transfer a report it has compiled examining its readiness for war. After reviewing the document, Shapira will decide if he will launch a probe of his own.

The State Comptroller is legally manded to open independent investigations at his discretion. He is also authorized to command state bodies to address shortcomings and to issue reports documenting the progress in treating issues previous reports had found.

The report comes amid a debate between IOF Ombudsman Gen. (res.) Yitzhak Brik regarding the army’s preparedness and readiness for war.

Brik has been releasing increasingly dire warnings about what he says is the military's depleted state. Brik, who will soon resign after 10 years in office, has called on cabinet ministers, the subcommittee of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and War Committee and the army leadership to appoint a committee to investigate the readiness of the ground forces for war.

In his most recent report, Brick says that the army's streamlining and efficiency restructuring have devastated the ground forces, detailing the lack of manpower and ammunition rife among the standing military.

“It is impossible to hold the rope on both ends,” Brick wrote. “On the one hand, the tasks are increasing – and on the other there is extensive cross-cutting of manpower.”

Following the report, IOF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot instructed army Comptroller Brig. Gen. (res.) Ilan Harari to conduct an examination of issues Brick raised.

The examination will fall within reviews conducted by the IOF Comptroller in cooperation with Maj. Gen. (res.) Avi Mizrahi and other senior reservists, with transparency and cooperation of all IOF units.

The report's initial findings, conclusions, and recommendations will be presented to Eizenkot for review within 45 days.

However, Brick sent a letter on Thursday to Prime Minister Netanyahu and War Minister Avigdor Lieberman contending that the panel was unable to properly probe the military.

In the missive, Brick alleged that the IOF's “condition is worse than it was at the time of the Yom Kippur War" and accused Eizenkot of trying to prevent the panel's establishment.

“In my opinion, an internal panel led by Comptroller Brig. Gen. (res.) Ilan Harari, which was appointed despite the chief of staff, does not have the ability to contain the severity and complexity of the deep flaws," wrote Brick.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team