According to Hizki Baruch, senior regional council heads in Judea and Samaria are working to arrange a reconciliation between Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot, and are demanding that Katz back down from his position.
Senior regional council heads in Judea and Samaria are reportedly working to arrange a reconciliation between Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot, according to Hizki Baruch. The effort includes a demand that Katz back down from his position, as local leaders seek to de-escalate the internal conflict that has intensified over the past 24 hours.
Earlier this morning, The Zioneer reported that local council heads in Judea and Samaria expressed opposition to Katz's announcement regarding the replacement of Blot, while the Yesha Council issued a series of statements praising Blot's "offensive military leadership" against terror and his respect for the settlement enterprise. The council also scheduled a meeting with Katz for this afternoon. The thread of reporting showed initial support for both Katz and Blot, before evolving into explicit opposition to the replacement.
The internal friction has drawn wider attention. As The Zioneer reported earlier, MK Son Har Melch accused Blot of treating hilltop youth and pioneers as enemies, while a military source dismissed Katz's criticism as politically motivated. Commentary published Sunday evening accused Katz of prioritizing political interests over security, and former IDF general Ofer Winter reportedly expressed support for Blot. The Eye on Zion analyzed the dispute as a boiling point between the military and political echelons, with Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir freezing senior appointments to assert professional autonomy.
It remains unclear whether Katz will accede to the demand to back down. The meeting between council heads and Katz, scheduled for this afternoon, may provide further clarity on whether the reconciliation effort can succeed or the rift will deepen.
7 developments
- DevelopingDefense Minister Katz to re-examine administrative measures against settlers, demands policy shift from IDF general
- StrongIsraeli the source reacts to Katz-Blott controversy, seeks Drucker's criticism
- StrongMK Son Har Melch: Central Command chief turned hilltop youth into enemies
- DevelopingKatz convenes top security chiefs, orders expansion of offensive operations in Judea and Samaria
Source and signal
- Open-source intake