IDF Senior Officer Maneuverings

There was a little drama in the upper ranks of the Israel Defense Forces over the weekend. According to the press, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi wanted to appoint Gadi Eizenkot, the General Officer Commanding Northern Command, as the new Deputy Chief of Staff, while Defense Minister Ehud Barak supported the Southern Commander, Maj. Gen. Yoav Gallant. Instead, they compromised and named Maj. Gen. Benny Gantz, the attaché in Washington, as the new Deputy Chief of Staff. But Gallant had said he would resign if passed over, and Barak wanted to keep him around. In the end, Gallant was persuaded to stay on, so the three men are now considered prime candidates to succeed Ashkenazi as Chief of Staff when his tour ends in 18 months. Background and details from Haaretz are here and here, and an analysis here.