Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that the appointment process for Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa to lead the IDF Central Command had been underway for months, rejecting accusations that he had sought to force the dismissal of the new commander. The statement follows a public clash with the IDF over the appointment.
Defense Minister Israel Katz on Monday afternoon formally rejected accusations that he had sought to force the dismissal of the incoming Central Command chief, Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa. In a statement, Katz said the appointment process had been underway for months and that the Chief of Staff's recommendation had been received in late April. The denial comes after a public clash with the IDF that began Sunday night, when Katz announced on Channel 14 that he intended to appoint Bar Kalifa to replace Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth. The IDF General Staff responded that the move was not coordinated with Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, sparking a rare public rebuke.
By Monday morning, Katz's office had released a timeline showing that Zamir had recommended Bar Kalifa for the role in late April, and that Katz interviewed him in June. The Chief of Staff, however, responded by freezing all senior major general appointments until after the elections, as The Zioneer reported Monday morning. Katz's subsequent statements further sought to clarify the timeline, asserting that the decision was made well before his television appearance. The latest statement directly rejects the narrative that the appointment was a unilateral dismissal.
The dispute underscores the ongoing friction between the political echelon and the military leadership during the election period. Katz has framed the appointment as part of his policy to promote commanders with proven records of aggressiveness and success in the War of Resurrection, aligning with the security policy he leads with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
It remains unclear whether the freeze on senior appointments will be lifted before the elections, or how the working relationship between Katz and Zamir will proceed following the public confrontation.
12 developments
- DevelopingDefense Minister Katz advances appointment of Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa as Central Command chief
- DevelopingChannel 14 clip shows Katz directly linked Bar Kalifa appointment to Blot dispute
- DevelopingChannel 14 commentator presents timeline defending Katz in Bar Kalifa appointment dispute
- DevelopingBitton Rosen accuses chief of staff of acting on 'leftist spins' in Bar Kalifa appointment dispute
Source and signal
- Open-source intake