IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari issued an apology following sharp criticism and a formal reprimand from the IDF Chief of Staff over his public opposition to the Feldstein Law in the Knesset.
"I spoke out of turn during tonight's press briefing, overstepping my role as IDF spokesperson, for which I received a reprimand from the Chief of Staff," Hagari posted on social media. "Israel is a democratic nation, and the military answers to civilian leadership. Throughout the hundreds of briefings I've given since October 7th, I've maintained professional boundaries."
Hagari added that "the IDF communicates its positions on legislative matters through proper channels, not through public statements."
The controversy erupted when Hagari responded to questions about the Feldstein Law, which passed its preliminary reading in the Knesset earlier today. During the briefing, he had stated: "The IDF maintains full transparency with political leadership while operating under their direction for Israel's security. The document in question was accessible to authorized personnel in the Prime Minister's Office."
He had gone on to criticize the law directly: "This document was leaked to a German newspaper, bypassing censorship protocols and exposing sensitive information to our enemies. The proposed law poses a serious risk to the IDF as it would allow any junior officer to unilaterally release military documents or intelligence information at their discretion. This could endanger both our soldiers and operations."
The Chief of Staff later issued a statement emphasizing that "the IDF does not publicly critique legislation but presents its positions to civilian leadership through established channels."
