Netanyahu appoints Eyal Zamir as 'Israel's' new military chief

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 00:17

According to the Israeli news website Walla, it is expected that Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz will appoint Major General Tamir Yadai as Deputy Chief of Staff.

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Israeli Major General Eyal Zamir, head of the southern command, looks on as he stands near the Gaza border in the southern kibbutz of Nahal Oz on April 20, 2018 ( AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed retired Major General Eyal Zamir as the Israeli military's new chief of staff, following the resignation of his predecessor last month over the military’s failure to prevent the Palestinian Resistance's Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz have agreed this evening on the appointment of Major General (Res.) Eyal Zamir as the next chief of staff of the (Israeli military)," Netanyahu's office said in a statement on Saturday.

Zamir succeeds Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, who resigned on January 21, just two days after a ceasefire took effect in Gaza.

At 59, Zamir has been serving as director general of the Israeli Security Ministry since 2023. According to Israeli media, he retired from the military after being passed over for the top position in favor of Halevi.

Zamir previously held the role of deputy chief of staff until 2021 and earlier served as head of the army’s Southern Command, responsible for Gaza. During his tenure, he oversaw operations aimed at "thwarting offensive terror tunnels penetrating from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory," according to the Security Ministry.

In his resignation letter, Halevi stated that he was stepping down due to his "acknowledgment of responsibility for the (military's) failure on October 7, (2023)" but claimed that he was leaving at a time of "significant successes".

Following Halevi’s resignation, Major General Yaron Finkelman, the wartime head of Southern Command, also stepped down, citing the military’s shortcomings in 2023.

Other candidates for the position of Chief of Staff included Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Amir Baram, who also served as Commander of the Paratroopers Brigade, and Major General Ori Gordin, Commander of the Northern Command.

According to the Israeli news website Walla, it is expected that Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz will appoint Major General Tamir Yadai as Deputy Chief of Staff.

Israeli officials react to Zamir's appointment

Israeli officials have expressed their support for Zamir's appointment as the next chief of staff of the Israel occupation military.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid praised Zamir as "the right person for the job," while Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, hailed him as "a talented officer and leader" who will be tasked with rebuilding the military and protecting it from a "dangerous and corrupt political echelon."

MK Yuli Edelstein (Likud), chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, emphasized that Zamir assumes the position "at an intense and fateful time," with the "historic task" of shaping the future of the military for generations to come.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and former Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir both called on Zamir to lead a transformation within the military, advocating for a more aggressive stance.

In a video message, National Unity chairman and former Israeli military chief of staff Benny Gantz praised Zamir as "an experienced commander, with values and a broad strategic vision" and expressed confidence that he would be instrumental in mobilizing the Haredim and other populations.