A review panel recognized Herzi Halevi as the next head of the IDF, but a government vote was still required

A review board approved Maj.

A final vote must be submitted to the government to approve the current IDF Deputy Chief of Staff, Halevi, to succeed the 23rd Commander of the Israeli Defense Forces.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz said he plans to hold a vote at a cabinet meeting scheduled for Sunday, despite the fact that there are only 10 days left until the November 1 general election.

On Tuesday morning, a senior appointments advisory panel led by former Attorney General and Supreme Court Justice Eliyakim Rubenstein confirmed Halevi to succeed Army commander Lieutenant General Aviv Kohabi, whose term is set to end in January 2023. .

Gantz spoke before the panel during a debate on Halevi’s credentials. needs stability,” he said.

“There is no question that Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi will continue the process led by Chief of Staff Kochavi to continue advancing the readiness of the Israel Defense Forces and Israel’s defensive capabilities,” Gantz wrote on Twitter.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz (R) speaks with members of the Senior Appointments Advisory Panel at a meeting to approve the nomination of Maj. (Ariel Hermoni/Ministry of Defense)

A replacement has not yet been named, so it is unclear who will replace Halevi as IDF deputy chief of staff.

Gantz last month nominated Halevi for the position in what was seen as an unusual move ahead of Israel’s November elections. petitioned to stop

However, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said in August that he determined that the contents of the classified documents, along with legal opinions provided by the defense ministry, were sufficient to move the process forward.

Of the three candidates, 54-year-old Halevi was considered the frontrunner for the position, serving as the IDF Confederate Commander and Chief of Military Intelligence before becoming Field Commander of the Airborne Brigade and elite Sayeret Matkal. Served for several years. reconnaissance unit.

Husband and father of four, Halevi holds a BA in Philosophy and Business Administration from the Hebrew University and a Master’s degree in National Resource Management from the US National Defense College.

He lives in the settlement of Kfar Haoranim, which straddles the West Bank border near the city of Modin.

Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.

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