'Absolutely no betrayal': Former IDF chief Halevi rejects October 7 conspiracy theories

Former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi spoke at a Shurat HaDin conference in New York on Sunday, where he supported calls for a State Commission of Inquiry into October 7.

The Shurat HaDin conference on combating antisemitism began at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York on Sunday. Halevi spoke at the conference, addressing many of the issues surrounding October 7 for the first time.

"There was absolutely no betrayal. The political echelon and the country’s leadership need to state this clearly and unequivocally," Halevi told the audience in response to a question about whether October 7 was an "inside job."

"I cannot believe that any of my colleagues—after decades of service during which they risked their own lives—would suddenly decide to assist Hamas," Halevi said.

"Furthermore, from a practical standpoint, aiding Hamas would require not just a single collaborator, but an extensive network," he continued, "yet, even after three years, not a single such person has been found."

"Israel must complete its investigation and ask difficult questions—just as we have done within the IDF. This is of great importance. October 7 was a failure that could have been prevented," he said.

Halevi said that Israel needed to change its military mindset: "We needed to break the pattern of small, limited rounds of conflict that relied solely on airstrikes. I know some people think otherwise, but without strong military pressure inside Gaza, we would not have been able to bring the hostages back."

"We should have gone to war in Gaza, but our order of priorities was first Iran, then Hezbollah, and only then Hamas—because we did not know that Hamas intended to carry out an operation of this scale," he said.