Less PR, More Command: Zamir, Stop Acting Like a Politician

Photo: Channel 14 Yaara Zered 10 4 hours ago 26 0 10 Less PR, More Command: Zamir, Stop Acting Like a Politician

The height of absurdity: while the political leadership this week was occupied with security considerations surrounding a strike in Iran, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir was busy with media PR and unnecessary statements: “We will act when we receive the green light.” It is, after all, well known that decisions are not made at the military level, so Zamir, who are the statements for? A chief of staff is supposed to focus on readiness and command, not act like a politician.

There is something very troubling about the conduct of Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. It must be said that at the operational level, the IDF is doing a tremendous job. The soldiers, pilots, intelligence personnel, and the defense and offense systems are doing excellent work. But precisely because of that, questions arise: why is the chief of staff so busy with the media? And where are these briefings coming from that are trying to undermine the political leadership?

This week, shortly after midnight, while Israeli civilians ran to protected spaces following the Iranian attack, while the defense systems were operating and while the entire country was on alert, expecting an Israeli attack in Iran, the chief of staff hurried to convey messages to the media: “The IDF will strike the enemy with force as soon as the green light is given.” This is an unusual event. When a country is under attack, I would expect the chief of staff to be occupied with managing the campaign, not with spokespersoning and communications advisers. And this sentence also raises further discomfort. After all, at that moment the political leadership was still conducting intensive discussions about the response.

Nothing had been decided. No decision had been made. Why is it so urgent to issue such foolish statements while the country is in the midst of a crisis and the conduct is being calculated down to the last detail? These discussions are not supposed to take place through the media. There is no question about it. The chatter continues.

And yesterday another statement was issued: “The strike we carried out in Iran was preparation for a much more significant and severe blow.” Excuse me, but who are these messages intended for? The Iranians? The Israeli public? Or the television studios?

After all, it is the political leadership that decides whether there will be another attack in Iran. The enemy does not need to know what we are preparing for, certainly not from the mouth of the head of the military chain of command. The chief of staff’s role is to prepare the plans. The political leadership’s role is to decide. Naturally, the chief of staff is not exposed to all the political considerations. The chief of staff has a communications adviser, and these unnecessary statements began as soon as he took office. The IDF also has a spokesperson and a large spokespersons’ unit. There are people whose job is to explain.

A chief of staff must deal with fighting, command, readiness, and victory, not public relations. And that is why the absurdity grows with statements of this kind. If you do not want the IDF to be dragged into political struggles, maybe it is time to stop acting like a politician.

Yaara Zered is the host of the Five segment and a commentator on Channel 14 Eyal Zamir political leadership attack in Iran politics media 10 Write a response