National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reportedly harangued IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi during a security cabinet meeting on Monday, berating him over the suspension of several soldiers who had filmed themselves singing Hanukkah songs and reciting the Jewish Shema (Hear, O Israel) prayer over a loudspeaker system in a mosque in the West Bank city of Jenin.

According to leaks to Hebrew media, during a security briefing delivered to the cabinet by Halevi, Ben Gvir criticized the decision to suspend the soldiers involved in the incident, accusing the chief of staff of harming the morale of the troops.

“I want to know that the soldiers who chanted the Shema at the mosque are returning to active duty,” the far-right minister demanded of Halevi. “If you had punished them without sharing it with the media, it would have been an internal military matter. From the moment it was released to the media, it became a public matter; it hurts the morale of the soldiers and the other side also sees it.”

In response, Halevi reminded Ben Gvir that the army “is the ones who decides about the soldiers. We are talking about IDF soldiers, and we make decisions about them, it isn’t a matter for the cabinet.”

He added that the soldiers’ actions violated the army’s code of conduct and went against the values of the IDF.

The incident in the Jenin mosque occurred amid a three-day operation in the northern West Bank city, during which troops detained hundreds of suspects and seized weapons.

In a statement announcing their suspension, the military said the soldiers’ behavior was “completely contrary to IDF values.”

Not satisfied with Halevi’s response, Ben Gvir doubled down on his insistence that the government should have had input in the decision.

“Of course it’s a matter for the cabinet. From the moment you publish it in the media and say that you suspended soldiers, it must be a matter for the cabinet, it is a matter of policy.

“I am a cabinet member, I am the political echelon. We decide,” he added.

“You are wrong. I will decide what is or isn’t moral behavior in the army. Don’t threaten me,” Halevi responded.

Several ministers came to Halevi’s defense, telling Ben Gvir not to speak rudely to the chief of staff.

“Ma’am, don’t tell me what to do,” Ben Gvir told Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton of the center-right National Unity party.

“Don’t call me ma’am,” she replied.

According to Kan news, Ben Gvir later attempted to place himself above Halevi in the hierarchy, telling him that “in a democratic country, the army is subordinate to the political structures and not the other way around.”

On Tuesday evening, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant publicly denounced Ben Gvir as irresponsible in a statement reiterating his support for the decision made by Halevi.

“The State of Israel and the IDF are privileged to have a brave, moral and experienced chief of staff during a difficult and complex war,” he wrote on X. “The IDF will continue to act resolutely, in accordance with the moral compass based on Israeli tradition, the law, and the spirit of the IDF.

“I will continue to support the IDF and the chief of staff against irresponsible politicians who are trying to make political gains on the backs of the commanders who bear the brunt of the war,” he added.

During Monday night’s security cabinet meeting, several ministers also impatiently asked Halevi when the IDF would destroy Hamas and kill its leaders.

In what was characterized as an “infantile exchange,” Channel 12 quoted several ministers as asking Halevi, “When will we see an achievement?” They specified that by “an achievement,” they meant bringing home the hostages, destroying Hamas’s capabilities and eliminating its commanders.

Halevi, in response, reportedly told the ministers, “Hitting the commanders takes time. It took [the US] 10 years to deliver the head of [Osama] bin Laden. The best people are working on it here, so it’ll take a lot less time.”

Justice Minister Yariv Levin retorted: “We went into Gaza so that it would take 10 years? It’ll take 10 years to destroy Hamas?”

Chiming in, Miri Regev asked, “Who’ll be here to see the result?” to which Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Levin and Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel responded, “We will. We’ll be here in another 10 years.”

Unsatisfied, Regev again repeated, “We need it in a lot less than 10 years.”

Emanuel Fabian contributed to this report.