Former IDF Commander Highlights Key Unanswered Questions in Gaza War Investigation
Major General (res.) Oren Solomon, former head of the Gaza Division's war investigation team and former combat manager of the Gaza Division, has been compiling a comprehensive review of failures and unresolved questions stemming from the October 7 massacre and the preceding period. Since the war's outbreak, Solomon has focused on identifying critical issues that require thorough answers beyond the numerous factual inquiries already addressed in IDF investigations.
Solomon emphasizes that while thousands of factual questions about the events before and during the massacre have clear answers, several deeper questions remain. He points to the year 2023 as a pivotal period marked by widespread refusal to follow orders within the IDF, which he terms "the year of refusal." He questions whether senior officers such as Herzi Halevi and Ronen Bar perceive this refusal as isolated incidents or as part of a political subversion aimed at toppling the government, potentially implicating them as passive or active participants. Solomon stresses that this issue transcends politics and directly impacts Israel's security, demanding clear accountability.
Regarding the investigation process, Solomon advocates for polygraph testing and criminal sanctions against those who lie, including imprisonment and rank revocation, to prevent cover-ups. He rejects proposals for blanket immunity, calling them unrealistic. Solomon also raises concerns about the failure to warn the Prime Minister on the eve of the Hamas attack and accuses current and former Chiefs of Staff, including Eyal Zamir and Herzi Halevi, of attempting to conceal investigation findings. He insists that the investigation committee must question these leaders under polygraph to uncover the truth.
Despite acknowledging systemic failures such as negligence, arrogance, poor readiness, and dysfunction, Solomon states that factual answers exist for most technical questions, including those about Air Force positioning and intelligence operations. He is confident that the full information will be released to the public, as most of it does not involve sensitive security details. Solomon warns that without confronting those responsible, similar failures could recur, and he calls for a professional, security-focused approach to the inquiry rather than a political one.
This interview is part of a series exploring unresolved questions from the Gaza massacre, following previous installments that addressed intelligence failures, security lapses, and unanswered inquiries from the day of the attack.
