In the ongoing dispute between Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Central Command, MK Son Har Melch accused chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot of treating hilltop youth and pioneers as enemies. A military source also pushed back against Katz's earlier criticism of Blot, telling N12 the defense minister's statement had no substance and was motivated by Likud primaries.
Late Sunday night, the political-security dispute between Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot continued to escalate with new reactions. MK Son Har Melch accused Blot of 'turning the hilltop youth and pioneers into enemies,' in a statement reported by ynet. The comment reflects support for the settlement movement and criticism of the military's treatment of Jewish residents in Judea and Samaria.
Simultaneously, a military source told N12 that Katz's earlier attack on Blot was 'a statement that has nothing behind it, simply nothing – except the Likud primaries.' The source's remarks highlight the deep institutional tension between the defense establishment and the political leadership.
The dispute began Sunday evening when Katz publicly criticized Blot for acting against ministerial policy regarding administrative detention of a Jewish resident. Katz announced he is advancing the appointment of Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa as the next Central Command chief, a move seen as a rebuke of Blot.
The confrontation underscores the growing friction between the defense minister and the IDF's top brass, particularly over policy toward Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
2 developments
Source and signal
- Open-source intake