Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has decided not to make senior major general appointments in the coming months until after the elections, and to delay several sensitive appointments including the permanent head of the Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria, according to a report by Doron Kadosh (N13 / Army Radio). The decision comes after the overnight clash in which Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the dismissal of Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot on live television. Zamir's move effectively strips Katz of influence over top military appointments during the election period, the report says.
A new report by Doron Kadosh (N13 / Army Radio) at 09:52 Jerusalem Monday clarifies that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir's decision to freeze senior major general appointments and delay the permanent appointment of the Civil Administration head in Judea and Samaria was a direct response to the overnight clash with Defense Minister Israel Katz. According to Kadosh, the freeze effectively neutralizes Katz's influence over top military promotions during the election period, stripping the defense minister of the ability to make appointments based on non-professional considerations. The report adds that the freeze includes all senior major general appointments and several sensitive positions.
The story emerged at 09:18 Jerusalem Monday when multiple news outlets reported simultaneously. An initial report by ynet stated that Zamir informed the General Staff of the freeze until early 2027 due to the elections. Yossi Yehoshua (ynet) added that Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot would remain in post until 2027. Minutes later, Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh (N13 / Army Radio) reported that the freeze also delays the permanent head of the Civil Administration, and Amit Segal (N12) confirmed the freeze. The Zioneer published a bulletin at 09:46 summarizing the development. The latest report at 09:52 provides the political context, framing the freeze as a direct countermeasure to Katz's televised dismissal of Blot.
The confrontation escalated Sunday night when Katz announced on live television the dismissal of Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot, a move the IDF said was made without the chief of staff's knowledge. As The Zioneer reported at 02:43 Jerusalem, Katz's office later claimed that Zamir himself had recommended the replacement, Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, in April. The Zioneer also reported on July 16 that Zamir had been seeking to delay the Civil Administration head appointment even before the current crisis, facing opposition from Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The ongoing tension between the political and military echelons has been building, with analysts noting that Katz is not expected to champion the military's interests as his predecessor did (The Zioneer, July 13).
The precise timeline of the freeze remains unclear — initial reports suggested until early 2027, while later reports say until after the elections. The Defense Ministry has not commented on the latest report. The status of the Civil Administration head appointment remains uncertain, with Smotrich opposing the delay.
5 developments
- DevelopingZamir seeks to delay permanent Civil Administration head appointment until after elections
- DevelopingAnalysis: Zamir refuses to discuss replacing Judea and Samaria commanders
- DevelopingIDF Chief of Staff Approves Sweeping Senior Command Appointments
- DevelopingPolitical commentary: Defense Minister Katz lacks authority to appoint generals, calls stance 'childish spin'
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