According to analysis of yesterday's Channel 14 interview, Defense Minister Israel Katz directly connected his decision to appoint Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa as Central Command chief to his dissatisfaction with the current commander, Maj. Gen. Avi Blot, over administrative measures in Judea and Samaria. The clip shows Katz announcing the appointment after describing how Blot acted contrary to his instructions.
Analysis of the Channel 14 interview broadcast Sunday night reveals that Defense Minister Israel Katz explicitly tied his decision to appoint Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa as Central Command chief to his dissatisfaction with the current commander, Maj. Gen. Avi Blot. The clip, reviewed by The Zioneer desk, shows Katz describing how Blot acted contrary to his instructions regarding administrative measures against Jewish residents in Judea and Samaria, and then announcing his intention to "realize the intention and appoint Bar Kalifa as Central Command chief."
Katz's own words on the program directly connect the policy friction to the personnel change, even though the appointment itself had been planned in advance. The timing of the exchange — made public without prior coordination with the IDF — has been the subject of an ongoing clash between the political echelon and the military leadership.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, Katz's office later stated that the Chief of Staff recommended Bar Kalifa in April and that Katz conducted an interview with him in June. The IDF pushed back, saying the announcement was not coordinated with Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and that Blot retains the full confidence of the General Staff. The new analysis supports the view that the announcement timing was driven by Katz's frustration with Blot's conduct, rather than a routine rotation.
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- StrongIsraeli the source reacts to Katz-Blott controversy, seeks Drucker's criticism
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