Heads of local councils in Judea and Samaria expressed opposition Monday morning to Defense Minister Israel Katz's announcement regarding the replacement of IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot, according to reports. The opposition comes amid an ongoing controversy over Katz's decision, which the IDF chief of staff has publicly rejected.
The Yesha Council, the umbrella organization of Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, issued a statement Monday morning (09:32 Jerusalem) expressing support for Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot (also referred to as Avi Bluth), praising his "offensive military leadership" that brought "great successes in the war on terror." The council also announced that local council heads will meet with Defense Minister Israel Katz this afternoon to discuss the matter. The statement, which is the latest in a series of reactions to the controversy, signals that local leaders in Judea and Samaria oppose the replacement of Blot, even as earlier versions of the same statement also praised Katz's policies as a "revolution" in security and settlement development.
The controversy began late Sunday night when Katz announced on live television his intention to replace Blot with Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa. The IDF General Staff issued a rare public rebuke, stating the move was not coordinated with Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and that there is no intention to replace commanders in key positions during the current period. As The Zioneer reported Monday at 02:43 Jerusalem, Katz's office later confirmed that the Chief of Staff had recommended Bar Kalifa for the position as early as April. In the hours that followed, MK Son Har Melch accused Blot of treating hilltop youth as enemies (The Zioneer, 00:21 Jerusalem), and former IDF general Ofer Winter reportedly expressed support for Blot (The Zioneer, 00:26 Jerusalem). The Yesha Council statement at 09:32 Jerusalem is the formal response from the local leadership in the area under the Central Command's jurisdiction.
The Yesha Council has consistently worked with Blot and praised his approach to security and settlement communities. The scheduled meeting between council heads and Katz this afternoon could provide an opportunity for dialogue, but the outcome remains uncertain. The broader controversy over the chain of command and the authority to make senior military appointments continues unresolved.
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