Israeli army gets new chief of staff

Major-General Herzi Halevi took over on January 16 as the 23rd commander of the Israeli Defence Forces, replacing outgoing chief Aviv Kohavi, who ended his four-year term as the army’s top officer at a time of mounting uncertainty for the military.

The handover began at a 10 a.m. ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, where the first order of the day promoted Halevi, 54, to the rank of lieutenant general, The Times of Israel reports.

Halevi, who most recently served as IDF deputy chief of staff, a pivotal post on the path to the top spot, takes over as Israel faces rising violence in the West Bank, an array of challenges on its borders with Gaza and Lebanon, and an evolving campaign against Iran in Syria.

The security challenges come as members of Israel’s new right-religious government are taking aim at the army’s chain of command, with plans to restructure military authority in the West Bank.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant at the ceremony said he would work to rein in “external pressure” on the IDF so Halevi could fulfil his role, in an apparent reference to the far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir.