Defense Minister Katz rejects claims he called for IDF Central Command chief's dismissal

Lead

Defense Minister Israel Katz has denied that he called for the dismissal of IDF Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth, describing such claims as an "outright lie" and part of a political campaign against the government. The denial came after an interview in which Katz discussed the appointment of a new Central Command chief, prompting a sharp response from the IDF.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from the Jerusalem Post present differing emphases on the sequence of events. One report, published immediately after the interview, stated that Katz had expressed his intention to appoint Maj.-Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, currently head of the IDF Manpower Directorate, as the new Central Command chief, citing Bluth's allegedly unsatisfactory handling of extremist settler violence in the West Bank. That report also noted the IDF's statement that Katz's remarks were not coordinated with Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir.

A later report, also from the Jerusalem Post, quotes Katz rejecting the dismissal claim directly. In that version, Katz insists that when a panelist on Channel 14's "The Patriots" called for Bluth's dismissal, he responded "No" immediately, and that the exchange was recorded on camera. Katz also said the appointment process for Bar Khalifa had been underway for months, making any suggestion of a decision tied to the interview unfounded.

A third Jerusalem Post report, an editorial published the following morning, offers a critical perspective. While acknowledging that Katz's factual account may be correct, it argues that the issue was not merely whether Katz used the word "dismiss," but the format of a defense minister publicly discussing the replacement of a serving general in a partisan studio, linking it to political complaints about Bluth's handling of settler violence. The editorial characterizes Katz's subsequent clarification as "damage control" made only after backlash.

Key Claims

• Katz's denial: Katz rejected claims that he called for Bluth's dismissal, calling the argument an "outright lie" tied to a political campaign against the government.
• Bar Khalifa's appointment process: Katz said the appointment process for Maj.-Gen. Dado Bar Khalifa to Central Command commander had been underway for months, and that Zamir had recommended him earlier. Katz also said he had already interviewed Bar Khalifa.
• Katz's criticism of Bluth: During the Channel 14 interview, Katz alleged that Bluth was overly harsh in efforts to combat Israeli settler violence while neglecting the fight against Palestinian terrorism.
• IDF response: The IDF stated that Katz's statement was not coordinated with Zamir, stressed that Bluth commands "with professionalism, bravery, and dedication," and said he should receive complete trust. The IDF added that Zamir did not intend to change key commanders during the sensitive pre-election period, and that any decision would be made through the proper chain of command.

Perspectives

Defense Minister Israel Katz: Katz maintains that he did not call for Bluth's dismissal and that the appointment process for Bar Khalifa predated the interview. He also warned of the potential consequences if opposition figures such as Yair Golan were to become defense minister, suggesting they could harm settlement enterprise and Israel's security.

IDF: The military distanced itself from Katz's statement, emphasizing that it was not coordinated with the chief of staff and expressing full confidence in Bluth's command. The IDF also indicated that no immediate change of commanders was planned.

Jerusalem Post editorial: The editorial argues that Katz's actions crossed a line, regardless of the factual accuracy of his account, and that his clarification was a form of damage control following the backlash.