Commentator Shachar Glik retracted his earlier criticism of Defense Minister Israel Katz, stating that after reviewing the footage, Katz did not dismiss Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot on live television, but rather announced a decision that had already been published. Glik added that the narrative was a 'false and deliberate campaign' by journalists and politicians against Katz.
Commentator Shachar Glik on Monday retracted his earlier criticism of Defense Minister Israel Katz, acknowledging that Katz did not dismiss Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot on live television. After reviewing the footage, Glik stated that Katz announced a decision that had already been published, and described the narrative of a live dismissal as a 'false and deliberate campaign' by journalists and politicians against Katz. The correction follows The Zioneer's own analysis, published earlier Monday at 10:22 Jerusalem, which reached the same conclusion — that the widely reported on-air dismissal did not occur, and that Katz instead announced the appointment of Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, a move planned for months and recommended by the Chief of Staff.
The controversy erupted late Sunday night after Katz's televised interview on Channel 14, in which he announced Bar Kalifa's appointment while criticizing Blot's handling of administrative measures against Jewish residents in Judea and Samaria. The IDF General Staff immediately issued a rare public rebuke, stating the move was not coordinated with Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. By Monday morning, Katz issued a series of detailed denials, calling the reports 'an absolute lie' and publishing a timeline showing that Zamir had recommended Bar Kalifa in April, that Katz approved the recommendation in July, and that the appointment process was already underway before the interview. The Zioneer's analysis, published at 10:22 Jerusalem, confirmed that Katz explicitly said he could not fire Blot when asked.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Monday, Katz's office confirmed that the Chief of Staff recommended Bar Kalifa for the role in April and that Katz interviewed him in June. The dispute centers on Blot's command in Judea and Samaria, where Katz expressed dissatisfaction with the general's enforcement of administrative measures. The Zioneer has also reported on political commentary accusing Katz of running a calculated campaign against Blot, and on the broader friction between the political echelon and the IDF command during an election period.
With Glik's retraction and The Zioneer's analysis, the factual basis of the live-dismissal narrative has been effectively refuted. The broader debate over the relationship between the defense minister and the military leadership, and the political implications of the appointment, remains ongoing.
10 developments
- StrongIsraeli the source reacts to Katz-Blott controversy, seeks Drucker's criticism
- StrongKatz: Timeline of Central Command chief appointment predates interview, denies on-air decision
- DevelopingPolitical commentary accuses Defense Minister Katz of 'ugly manipulation' in Central Command appointment
- DevelopingFalse report of defense minister firing general believed by public, analysis says
Source and signal
- Open-source intake