Outgoing air force chief Tomer Bar calls for independent inquiry of October 7

In a significant address during the ceremony marking his departure, outgoing Air Force Chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar has broken ranks, calling for an independent investigation into the catastrophic failures that led to the October 7th Hamas invasion. Bar, who is handing over the reins to his deputy Omer Tishler, declared that he would "never forget" the IDF's and the air force's shortcomings on that fateful day. His call for an independent inquiry, rather than relying solely on internal IDF probes, signals a desire for a more comprehensive reckoning that includes accountability for the political and defense establishment.

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I would never forget the IDF's, and the air force's failure that day, allowing Hamas to invade southern Israel and kill 1,200 Israelis.

While Bar expressed pride in the Air Force's dispassionate and aggressive self-examination of its errors, he stressed that for the nation and the defense establishment to truly heal and move forward, an external, impartial investigation is essential. This stance notably differs from some other top IDF officials who have resigned or retired, with Bar deliberately avoiding the specific term "state inquiry" and leaving the structure of the proposed investigation open for political decision-making. However, his insistence that the current two-and-a-half-year period without probing the political class is "unacceptable" underscores the urgency he feels.

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for all of Israel's citizens and the defense establishment to truly move on from that day, an independent inquiry must prove it.

Bar's tenure has been marked by significant operations, including leading the air force's involvement in major strikes against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran's nuclear program. His call for accountability now, as he leaves office, adds a powerful voice to the ongoing debate within Israel about responsibility for the events of October 7th. The demand for an independent inquiry, coming from a high-ranking military official, is likely to intensify pressure on the government to establish a commission that can provide a full and transparent account of the failures, offering a path toward genuine closure and systemic improvement.

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the current state of affairs, where the political class has not been probed at all for two-and-a-half years, was unacceptable.