Israeli Treasury Rejects Former Military Advocate General’s Retirement Terms, Cites Unauthorized Payments

The Israeli Ministry of Finance has challenged the retirement terms agreed upon between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the former Military Advocate General (MAG), stating that the agreements lack legal validity. The Treasury’s General Accountant, Michal Abadi-Boiangiu, ruled that the arrangements did not undergo the required financial oversight and therefore cannot be considered binding. A letter sent to the IDF’s Personnel Directorate head, Brigadier General Dado Bar-Kalifa, revealed that 90% of the final payment to the former MAG was already disbursed without the knowledge of the IDF’s accountant, Amit Segal. The remaining 10% will not be paid until the conclusion of ongoing criminal proceedings against the former MAG, and final financial rights will only be determined in coordination with the Treasury’s accounting department.

The core dispute centers on who holds the authority to approve the retirement payments. The IDF claims that the Chief of Staff has sole discretion over these decisions, while the Treasury insists that any payments involving state funds must be approved and supervised by the General Accountant. Initially, the IDF resisted sharing personal payment data with the Treasury, but later agreed to provide the necessary information for oversight.

The General Accountant also criticized the IDF for covering the legal fees of the former MAG’s attorney during negotiations over her retirement benefits, stating this arrangement lacked proper approval and further invalidates the agreement. She emphasized that it was inappropriate to finalize any financial terms while the criminal investigation is ongoing. The Treasury has instructed the IDF not to finalize the retirement terms without its involvement, and any payments made before the conclusion of legal proceedings will be treated as advances subject to future adjustment.