Channel 14 military correspondent Noam Amir alleged Monday that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir's statement that he was unaware of the Bar Kalifa appointment is 'an absolute lie.' According to Amir, Zamir knew for over a week, personally convinced Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa to accept the role after he initially declined, and asked Defense Minister Israel Katz to meet Bar Kalifa to persuade him. Amir's claims are unverified.
Channel 14 military correspondent Noam Amir accused Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir of lying about his knowledge of the appointment of Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa as Central Command commander. In a statement early Monday, Amir said Zamir's denial that he knew of the appointment is 'an absolute lie,' claiming Zamir had known for over a week, personally convinced Bar Kalifa to accept the role after he initially declined, and asked Defense Minister Israel Katz to meet Bar Kalifa to persuade him.
The accusation deepens a public rift between the political and military echelons over the appointment. Earlier Monday, The Zioneer reported that Katz announced Bar Kalifa's appointment on Channel 14's Patriots program, and that the IDF responded the move was not coordinated with Zamir and that there was no intention to replace the current Central Command chief, Maj. Gen. Avi Blot. Katz's office countered that Zamir had recommended Bar Kalifa for the role as early as April.
Amir, a vocal critic of Zamir, previously alleged in July that the chief of staff was preparing to sabotage operational plans to influence elections — claims the IDF has not addressed. The Bar Kalifa appointment remains a point of contention between Katz and Zamir, with no official confirmation of a timeline.
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