Former IDF Intelligence Chief Slams Shin Bet "Where Were You on October 7th"
Former IDF intelligence chief Aharon Haliva criticized the Shin Bet for failing to act on signs of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, while accepting responsibility for his directorate’s shortcomings. His resignation and apology reflect the deep impact of the intelligence failure on Israel’s defense establishment.
Former Military Intelligence Directorate Director General Aharon Haliva has pointed fingers at the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) for its absence during critical hours before the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 abducted. In a recording set to air on Channel 12 News, Haliva revealed that he was not woken on the night of October 6, despite emerging signs of an impending attack. He defended IDF intelligence officers, stating that he would have agreed with their assessment that Hamas was not preparing a large-scale assault, and called any claims to the contrary from senior officials “a lie.” Haliva sharply criticized the Shin Bet, saying, “The agency that should have gotten one agent up that night was the Shin Bet. Where were you, Shin Bet, with all of your billions?”
Haliva, who resigned in August 2024 as one of the first senior defense officials to step down post-massacre, had previously acknowledged his directorate’s failure. In November 2023, he admitted, “The Military Intelligence Directorate, under my direction, failed at its primary objective of providing an early warning of war.” In his emotional farewell address, he added, “We did not live up to our sacred oath. I did everything to be a loyal soldier of the IDF and the State of Israel. On that Shabbat, we did not fulfil the most important mission which we are tasked with, providing a warning of war.”
Taking full accountability, Haliva stated, “The ultimate responsibility for the failure of the Intelligence Directorate rests on my shoulders. The responsibility and setting a personal example is a core value of the IDF, and in leadership in general. Taking responsibility is not words, it must be actions. My decision to end my role and resign from the IDF is the norm in which I was educated.” He concluded, “In my name and in the name of the entire Military Intelligence Directorate, I ask for your forgiveness.” The remarks highlight ongoing debates over accountability for the intelligence failures that allowed Hamas’s attack to unfold, fuelling calls for systemic reforms.