IDF Manpower Directorate chief resigns after laptop stolen
Maj. Gen. Hagai Topolanski tells IDF chief he was taught to take responsibility for his actions and that he hopes that in his decision to resign he would send the right message to the soldier and the general public.
The head of the IDF's Manpower Directorate, Maj. Gen. Hagai Topolanski, resigned from his post on Wednesday evening after a military laptop was stolen from his home, raising concerns classified information might have been compromised.
IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot accepted Topolanski's resignation, saying he does so with a heavy heart due to his immense appreciation of the major general.
The Manpower Directorate's chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Merav Kirshner, will be appointed the acting-commander of the directorate until a replacement is found.
Topolanski also decided to retire from the IDF. He made his decision without waiting to see whether the IDF chief was planning to dismiss or suspend him.
Topolanski told Eisenkot that he was taught to take responsibility for his actions and has required the same of the soldiers under his commander.
He also noted that the IDF and the way it is perceived were important to him and that he hoped his resignation would send the right message both to the soldiers and the general public.
Eisenkot described Topolanski as a well-regarded officer, a fighter pilot who dedicated his life to the protection of the State of Israel.
The IDF chief also praised Topolanski, saying his actions were an expression of what is required of every commander in the IDF.
Topolanski's home in the Be'er Tuviya Regional Council was broken into early Tuesday morning along with four other homes by a gang of burglars.
The burglars apparently entered Topolanski's home through the window and stole his military laptop along with his daughter's car.
The IDF's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Lachish District Police launched an investigation into the break in, and Maj. Gen. Topolanski is expected to be questioned under caution.
The CID is checking whether the laptop and other items stolen from Topolanski's home contain classified information.
Officials in the IDF said the CID investigation will continue regardless of Topolanski's retirement of the IDF and that at the end of the investigation, a decision will be made whether to indict him or settle for his resignation.
