Proactive commanders or a return to the 6.10 conception?
Against the backdrop of the storm caused by Defense Minister Israel Katz when he decided to dismiss Avi Bluth live on air, the head of the Beit El council warns that turning every event in the field into a tool for political mudslinging endangers the safety of citizens. Beyond advanced combat means, the IDF needs commanders who make decisions based on judgment that preserves the safety of fighters and citizens, rather than political and media pressures.
After October 7, we learned how dangerous it is to silence substantive criticism and cling to concepts just because they are familiar and comfortable. A healthy security system is not built on automatic agreements, but on commanders, political echelons, and professionals who challenge entrenched paradigms and make decisions based on independent thinking and responsibility.
We must be careful not to be swept into a reverse concept where every professional disagreement, tactical error, or isolated incident becomes a tool for political mudslinging against those entrusted with the safety of our soldiers and citizens. Operational decisions must be based solely on operational judgment, not on considerations stemming from public, political, or media pressures that do not bear responsibility for the consequences.
As someone who heads a complex public system and previously managed complex systems in the private sector, I can say with confidence that there is no civilian system where decision-makers are required to bear responsibility and risk management comparable to that of an operational commander in the field.
A good commander is not measured by never making a mistake
I have known Major General Avi Bluth since his time as commander of the Judea and Samaria Division. Anyone who has worked alongside him knows that the concept of "working hours" does not exist for him. The responsibility for the security of the region accompanies him at night, on weekends, and in moments of routine as well as in times of emergency, out of a sense of mission that does not allow one to disconnect from the sector.
One can disagree with a tactical decision made in the field, but we must not create a reality in which commanders are required to include factors originating outside the security sphere in their operational considerations. The State of Israel has already paid heavy prices in recent decades when extraneous considerations and personal agendas penetrated the space of strategic decisions made by the General Staff.
During Major General Bluth's service as commander of the Central Command, the settlement movement strengthened at an unprecedented pace, security perimeters were expanded, and a system of deep trust was built between the IDF and the settlement leadership. Throughout the way, it was clear that we were dealing with a commander who seeks to defeat terror and strengthen the security and settlement hold in Judea and Samaria.
Even the best commanders have room for tactical error, but the real test concerns the broad operational worldview that guides them. We must ask whether we want proactive commanders who think outside the box and know how to make difficult decisions under constant pressure, or return to that corrupt culture from before October 7, where operational decisions were examined through the background noise of the public and media arena.
Victory does not depend on combat means alone. The IDF needs value-driven, offensive, determined commanders with good judgment, but more than that, it needs backing. Not blind backing, but one that understands that professional criticism is a fundamental condition for improvement, provided it does not erode public trust in those who carry the burden of maintaining Israel's security.
National resilience is not measured only by the number of brigades or the defense budget, but by our ability to maintain a command culture that encourages responsibility, initiative, and the courage to make decisions. A country that seeks to win its wars must grow people capable of making difficult decisions under conditions of uncertainty.
Shai Alon is the head of the Beit El local council.
