Ex-IDF maj.-gen.: Halevi, Kohavi overemphasized intel. over combat forces

• Published date: 02 April 2024
• Author: 103FM VIA MAARIV ONLINE
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

"I read the reports very thoroughly, it's an excellent article by the way, but I didn't read the document. I know the people and I know the issue. For example, I met with [former IDF chief of staff Aviv] Kohavi when he was the head of the Israeli Military Intelligence, I told him, 'You have hundreds of cyber combat soldiers in intelligence so you must know that there is cyberwarfare, but there is no such thing as cyber soldiers.' Whoever fights must be a real combat soldier, the one who pulls the trigger... You can gather intelligence, but cyber intelligence will not defeat terrorism under any circumstances," Dayan said

"Kohavi then told me how much it would help, for example, to locate the rockets, The IDF can find every rocket and know where it was fired from, and how much we can hit the Hamas leaders. I told him that it simply wouldn't happen and that he should wait for the next time he entered Gaza.

"To this day they shoot rockets buried in the ground. I also told him that the intelligence unit is developing beautiful things from a technological point of view, but commanders should be taught that they must not become dependent on that kind of success. You have to remember, both Kohavi and Herzi Halevi were the heads of intelligence. In my opinion, they exaggerated their success."

Israel needs more physical security for war success, less cyber intervention

Regarding a recent terrorist attack, Dayan commented, "What needs to be done has little to do with technology and more...