The brazen remarks by Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Aharon Haliva, the former head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, who bears direct and heavy responsibility for the October 7 failure, still echo in public discourse.
His statement that “Israel is a brothel” that lacks discipline was not only unfortunate but also an attempt to minimize his personal failure. It exposed to Israeli citizens and the entire world the depth of the chaos into which the security establishment had sunk on the eve of Hamas’s heinous attack.
Instead of projecting responsibility, resilience, and discipline, one of the country’s most senior officers chose to use a crude and shameful expression, pouring oil on the fire of public distrust.
The facts that emerged after the event paint a harsh picture. On the night of October 6-7, when unusual movements were identified in the Gaza Strip – most notably the activation of hundreds of new SIM cards – urgent consultations were held at the top of the army. Yet Haliva, the man who should have been the first to respond, was not there at all. He was on a private vacation in Eilat.
His aide, who held the information, chose not to wake him. The official argument: This was not an “absolute” warning, only another routine detail in the chain of alerts.
In reality, it was a critical moment in which every minute could have changed the picture. The fact that the head of Military Intelligence continued to sleep and did not report to the war room encapsulates the dangerous organizational culture that had developed – a culture of complacency, false assumptions, and the illusion that Hamas was “deterred.”
Brig.-Gen. (res.) Efraim Lapid, former commander of Unit 8200, recently gave an interview on my program HaNivcharim on Radios 100FM, in which he sharply criticized the disastrous decision to dismantle the “Hatzav” Unit, which was supposed to be responsible for monitoring and collecting intelligence from open enemy sources, operating within Unit 8200.
The re-establishment of this unit after October 7 attests to the depth of the negligence in disbanding it.
When asked to explain the intelligence failure, Haliva chose to describe Israel as a “brothel.” It is difficult to imagine a word more damaging to national legitimacy and public trust. This is not just tactless; it casts a heavy stain on the character of a senior officer.
Haliva (and others) must explain why intelligence was focused almost exclusively on technological means while nearly entirely neglecting human sources (the use of agents).
The Israeli public expected to hear different words: taking responsibility, admitting failure, committing to correction. Instead, it received a sentence symbolizing loss of control, disrespect for the state and its institutions, and a willingness to remove personal responsibility and place it on “the entire system.”
Some saw his statement as an expression of real chaos; others interpreted it as an embarrassing slip of the tongue under pressure. Either way, the psychological impact was devastating. Israel’s enemies rejoiced, while its citizens lost another layer of trust in the security establishment.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head Ronen Bar “did not wake him” and cast part of the blame on the domestic security service.
Netanyahu has also said, more than once, that months earlier, there had been warnings of Hamas’s intention to carry out a military move. But only a state commission of inquiry will investigate and conclude how Israel deteriorated into the October 7 disaster.
If the head of Military Intelligence claims “there was no absolute warning,” and therefore he was not awakened, then his own testimony points to his failure.
Why were no additional forces sent south? And why were repeated warnings swallowed by the false assumption that “Hamas does not want war”?
Haliva’s interview sparked outrage not only among the general public but also among former military officers and politicians across the spectrum, who demanded condemnation of his grave remarks and a clear rejection of his attempt to escape personal responsibility. How can an officer of such high rank not understand the meaning of his words nor be aware of the damage they cause?
The episode became a symbol of a corrupt organizational culture, where responsibility evaporates, and truth is replaced by denials and brazen statements.
Haliva's statements reflect public sensibilities
Ultimately, Haliva’s statement is not detached from reality. It reflects a sense that also exists among the public – a sense of lack of control in a security system that became confused and irresponsible before the October 7 war. His insolent remark crudely described what many felt.
Still, a senior officer is held to a different standard of responsibility. When he chooses to use such words, he not only disgraces himself but also the entire state. There is no courage in this, only weakness. There is no truth in it, only an admission of failure.
This affair, like others surrounding the October 7 failure, requires deep soul-searching. Israel cannot allow the continued service of senior security officials like Haliva, who fail to distinguish between a critical warning and routine.
Whether it is Ronen Bar or Aharon Haliva, the public demands one answer: How did this disaster happen, and who will pay the price? The answer cannot remain empty words. It must come through actions, through real lessons learned, and through profound cultural change.
The arrogant and conceited words of Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Aharon Haliva – “Israel is a brothel” – turned an unfortunate phrase into a symbol not only of his personal failure but also of the collapse of public trust in the security establishment.
The responsibility for the October 7 disaster cannot be erased with words, nor with finger-pointing. It requires the country’s leaders and military commanders to prove, through deeds, that the lesson has been learned, that the culture has changed, and that the people can once again believe in the system meant to protect them.
The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, an honorary consul, deputy dean of the consular diplomatic corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television reporter.