Next CGS

Defense Minister Ehud Barak has announced his selection to replace Lt-Gen. Gaby Ashkenazi as IDF Chief of the General Staff (CGS), it is Lt-Gen. Yoav Galant, Head of Southern Command. There are two surprising aspects of this appointment, not that Galant is not an excellent choice for this post. First, the early date of the appointment, some would call it premature, over 6 months before Ashkenazi's term ends next February, and second while the police investigation into the "Galant document" is continuing. This is a letter on the stationary of a PR company that supposedly advises Galant how to obtain the appointment against the opposition of several other generals. Since it advised "dirty tricks" it is considered to be at least unethical if not illegal. It has been termed a "forgery" by the police, in that it was not really written by a Galant supporter, but rather is an attempt to smear him. Meanwhile a retired officer, Lt-Col. Boaz Harpaz, has been named by the police as the suspected author of the document, and he is due to be arrested upon his return from the US. Both Harpaz and another office mentioned are supporters of Ashkenazi, and it is speculated that they wanted to smear the name of Galant so that he could not be appointed Ashkenazi's successor. Both Ashkenazi and Galant have called on his rivals, Chiefs of the other regional commands, to continue to work with Galant, although some of them might resign or retire.

There are moves afoot in the Knesset to change the procedure whereby the Minister of Defense is the sole person responsible for choosing the CGS, an incredibly important position. Several Knesset Committees feel that the responsibility should be shared, and will be looking into the appointment process. This is especially because of the politicization of the appointment. It was easy in the early years of the state, when often decisions had to be made quickly and the Labor Party (Mapai) controlled all aspects of state power, to select one of the in-group as the CGS. But, now it is felt that a more judicial selection process should be used, rather than the opinion solely of the Defense Minister. While it is felt that Galant is an excellent choice as CGS, especially given that he was Head both of the Navy as well as ground forces, both the speed of the decision and the current political/legal situation make the appointment questionable in some eyes. This is especailly true when the Minister of Defense and the Pirme Minister are of two different parties, Labor and Likud respectively. This crucial appointment should be seen as being above political considerations.

So Galant will become Israel's 20th CGS. He is considered to be both aggressive and very cool under fire. He ran Operation Cast Lead in Gaza and has learnt how to deal with Hamas. His appointment can be considered a warning to Iran, don't mess with us.