Katz begins interviews for three IDF Chief of Staff candidates

The selection process began rather quickly following current IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi's announcement to resign last week.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB JANUARY 26, 2025 09:45

(L-R) IDF deputy chief Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, Defense Ministry Director-General and former deputy IDF chief Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai. (photo credit: Canva, IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday announced that he has started interviewing all three candidates on his shortlist to be the next IDF chief.

While it was expected that Katz would move fast to select Herzi Halevi's replacement for the job, following the current IDF chief's announcement on January 21 that he would step down on March 6, the defense minister threw a wrench into the works at the end of last week adding dark horse candidate Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai.

Both the Jerusalem Post and the entire Israeli media got two of three candidates on the final list correct: Defense Ministry Director-General and former deputy IDF chief Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir and outgoing IDF deputy chief Maj. Gen. Amir Baram.

However, the Post and all other media had reported that the third candidate on the shortlist would be Northern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Uri Gordon.

Instead, Yadai, who recently retired from the IDF after serving as IDF Land Forces Command Chief, appears to have ousted Gordon from the list.

Defense Minister Israel Katz attends a Foreign Affairs and Defense committee discussion at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, on January 22, 2025 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Previously, Yadai had served as Central Command Chief, Home Front Command Chief, and commanded multiple different full IDF divisions following spending most of his career in the Golani Brigade.

An unconventional option 

He is seen as a dark horse candidate because, unlike Zamir and Baram, he has not been deputy IDF chief, nor has he commanded the northern or southern commands, which are considered the most important field command roles in the military.

Having led the northern command to defeat Hezbollah in a sensational fashion was why Gordon was viewed as a top potential candidate. However, Katz may have viewed him as too close to Halevi.

While Zamir and Baram are still the most likely choices, Zamir being the lead candidate, Yadai could still be used as somewhat of an outsider who was the least close to Halevi, and in order to reshuffle the top echelons of the IDF to the extent that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may want to water down opposition to some of his policies.

Zamir is viewed as favorable to Netanyahu, having served as his military secretary, although he demonstrated some independence, threatening to quit his role at the defense ministry when Katz became defense minister.

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Only after Katz formally asked him to stay on did Zamir remain in his current role.