Defense Minister announces appointment of Central Command chief on Channel 14 — IDF furious: 'He thinks it's a Likud branch'

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Channel 14 the appointment of Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa as commander of the Central Command, replacing Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth. The announcement comes amid a rift between the IDF top brass and the minister, who came out against Bluth and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir over their decision to issue an administrative order against a far-right activist suspected of harming Palestinians, and over the appeal they filed against the release of settler Tal Yanon Dardik. A senior military official criticized the minister's conduct.

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Channel 14 the appointment of Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa as commander of the Central Command, replacing Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth. The announcement comes amid a rift between the IDF top brass and the minister, who came out against Bluth and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir over their decision to issue an administrative order against a far-right activist suspected of harming Palestinians, and over the appeal they filed against the release of settler Tal Yanon Dardik. Katz said he disagrees with them and that they acted against his policy, emphasizing that his control over the system is "absolute control." A senior military official criticized the minister's conduct and his lack of backing for the IDF in the fight against Jewish nationalist crime in the West Bank.

Defense Minister announces appointment of Central Command chief on Channel 14 — IDF furious: 'He thinks it's a Likud branch'