Major General Nimrod Aloni, who commanded the IDF military colleges and the Deep Command, retired from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) today (Monday). He was succeeded by Major General Dan Goldfuss. In his retirement speech, which was attended by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Aloni sharply criticized the IDF’s leadership and the concept of responsibility within the military. He stated, “I am leaving an army in which the concept of responsibility has been trampled and desecrated, and which has lost its confidence in owning up to its failures.”
Aloni acknowledged several military failures prior to October 7, admitting that he, too, was wrong in understanding the situation on the ground. He listed incidents such as the Gladiola incident, the tent on Mount Dov, the strengthening of Hamas, and two years of Palestinian jihadist shooting during the Baha’ al-Ata era as examples of misjudgments. He emphasized the importance of learning from these failures, stating, “Keep our oath: never again Nir Oz, never again the Nuba Party massacre.”
The ceremony was covered by Israeli news channel N12, which reported on Aloni’s remarks and the transition of leadership within the IDF.
Major General Dan Goldfuss, who has a distinguished military career, including commanding the 98th Paratroopers Division during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, will now lead the IDF military colleges and the Deep Command. His appointment marks a significant shift in the IDF’s leadership as it continues to address ongoing security challenges.
In his speech, Aloni also reflected on personal regrets, including his failure to prevent the murder of the Fogel family and his decision to go to the Southern Command headquarters on the afternoon of October 7 at the request of the commander of the command, instead of going to fight in the surrounding kibbutz. He expressed deep sorrow for the soldiers who fell under his command.
