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Chief of the General Staff (Israel)

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Chief of the General Staff
ראש המטה הכללי‎
Flag of the Chief of the General Staff
Incumbent
Rav Aluf Herzi Halevi
since 16 January 2023
Ministry of Defense
AbbreviationRamatkal
Member ofGeneral Staff
Reports toMinister of Defense
SeatRabin Camp, HaKirya, Tel Aviv
NominatorMinister of Defense
AppointerCabinet of Israel
Term length3 years;
can be extended by 1 year
Formation1 June 1947; 77 years ago (1947-06-01)
First holderRav Aluf Yaakov Dori
DeputyDeputy Chief

The Chief of the General Staff, also known as the Commander-in-Chief of the Israel Defense Forces (Hebrew: רֹאשׁ הַמַּטֶּה הַכְּלָלִי, romanized: Rosh hamateh haklali, abbreviated Ramatkal—רמטכ"ל‎), is the professional head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The current Chief of the General Staff is Herzi Halevi.

At any given time, the Chief of the General Staff is the only active officer holding the IDF's highest rank, rav aluf (רַב־אַלּוּף‎), which is usually translated into English as lieutenant general, a three-star rank. The only exception to this rule occurred during the Yom Kippur War, when former Chief of the General Staff Haim Bar-Lev, who was a cabinet member at the outbreak of and during the war, was brought out of retirement and installed as chief of Southern Command.[1] For a brief period, he and Chief of the General Staff David Elazar were both in active service with the rank of rav aluf.

History

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The role of the Chief of the General Staff began with the Haganah organization, where it was named after the head of the general staff of the Haganah. With the establishment of the IDF, the Chief of Defense and the Chief of Staff, headed by Yaakov Dori, were converted to head the IDF.[2]

The chief of the general staff is officially appointed for a three-year term, which can be extended for another year. An exception was Rafael Eitan, whose term was extended twice, and he served a total of five years.[3] On the other hand, there were several chiefs of staff who did not complete their full term: Yigal Yadin resigned amid disagreements over the IDF budget,[4] Mordechai Maklef served for only one year at his request,[5] David Elazar was forced to resign following the recommendations of the Agranat Commission investigating the Yom Kippur War,[6] and Dan Halutz resigned due to criticism of the Second Lebanon War.[7] Also, two chiefs of staff have given up part of their tenure extension: Amnon Lipkin-Shahak wanted to end his term in the middle of the fourth year, due to his desire to move into politics and run for prime minister. Haim Laskov asked not to serve a fourth year due to his disagreements with Shimon Peres.[citation needed]

In 2005, Ariel Sharon and Shaul Mofaz did not extend Moshe Ya'alon's term to a fourth year,[8] during which he was interpreted as a dismissal in light of Ya'alon's opposition to the disengagement plan. In order to prevent such problems in the future, and as was done for other positions such as that of the President of the State, Defense Minister Amir Peretz appointed Major General Gabi Ashkenazi in 2007 for a period of four years, thus removing the uncertainty regarding the addition of the fourth year. Ashkenazi raised the issue of extending his term to a fifth year.[9]

At the end of his term, the Chief of the General Staff (like other senior members of the Israeli defense establishment) has a cooling-off period of three years before he can be elected a Member of the Knesset, be appointed a Minister in the Government or be elected Prime Minister.[citation needed]

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The position of ramatkal is defined in the Basic Law: The Military (1976), clause three:[10]

  • The supreme command rank in the military is that of the Chief of the General Staff
  • The Chief of the General Staff is to be placed under the authority of the government and subordinate to the Defense Minister
  • The Chief of the General Staff is to be appointed by the government, according to the recommendation of the Defense Minister

The Chief of the General Staff is formally appointed once every three years, with the government often extending the term to four years, and in one occasion, even five.

Significance

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Given the importance of the IDF in Israeli society, the Chief of the General Staff is an important public figure in Israel. On appointment of a new Chief of the General Staff, mass-circulation papers such as Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel Hayom customarily provide their readers with large-scale portrait photos of the new Chief. Former Chiefs of the General Staff often parlay the prominence of their position into political life, and sometimes the business world.[citation needed] Two Chiefs of the General Staff (Yitzhak Rabin and Ehud Barak) have become Prime Minister of Israel[11][12] and eleven others (Yigael Yadin, Moshe Dayan, Tzvi Tzur, Haim Bar-Lev, Mordechai Gur, Rafael Eitan, Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, Shaul Mofaz, Moshe Ya'alon, Gabi Ashkenazi, and Benny Gantz) have served in the Knesset.[13] Of these, only Tzur did not get appointed to the Cabinet.

Six former Chiefs of the General Staff (Dayan, Rabin, Barak, Mofaz, Ya'alon, and Gantz) held the position of Defense Minister, widely considered to be one of the most powerful ministerial posts in the country and the immediate civilian superior of the Chief of the General Staff.[citation needed] Moshe Dayan served also as Foreign Minister. Soon after his discharge, Dan Halutz became the CEO of a car importer.[14] Ehud Barak took a hiatus from politics twice after defeats for re-election and pursued international business ventures.[citation needed]

List of Chiefs of the General Staff

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The Chiefs of the General Staff have been:

No. Portrait Chief of the General Staff Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
Yaakov Dori
Dori, YaakovYaakov Dori
(1899–1973)		1 June 19479 November 19492 years, 161 days[15][2]
2
Yigael Yadin
Yadin, YigaelYigael Yadin
(1917–1984)		9 November 19497 December 19523 years, 28 days[15][4]
3
Mordechai Maklef
Maklef, MordechaiMordechai Maklef
(1920–1978)		7 December 19526 December 1953364 days[15][5]
4
Moshe Dayan
Dayan, MosheMoshe Dayan
(1915–1981)		6 December 195329 January 19584 years, 54 days[15][16]
5
Haim Laskov
Laskov, HaimHaim Laskov
(1919–1982)		29 January 19581 January 19612 years, 338 days[15][17]
6
Tzvi Tzur
Tzur, TzviTzvi Tzur
(1923–2004)		1 January 19611 January 19643 years, 0 days[15][18]
7
Yitzhak Rabin
Rabin, YitzhakYitzhak Rabin
(1922–1995)		1 January 19641 January 19684 years, 0 days[15][11]
8
Haim Bar-Lev
Bar-Lev, HaimHaim Bar-Lev
(1924–1994)		1 January 19681 January 19724 years, 0 days[15][1]
9
David Elazar
Elazar, DavidDavid Elazar
(1925–1976)		1 January 19723 April 19742 years, 92 days[15][6]
–
Yitzhak Hofi
Hofi, YitzhakYitzhak Hofi
(1927–2014)
Acting		3 April 197416 April 197413 days[15]
10
Mordechai Gur
Gur, MordechaiMordechai Gur
(1930–1995)		16 April 197416 April 19784 years, 0 days[15]
11
Rafael Eitan
Eitan, RafaelRafael Eitan
(1929–2004)		16 April 197819 April 19835 years, 3 days[15]
12
Moshe Levi
Levi, MosheMoshe Levi
(1936–2008)		19 April 198319 April 19874 years, 0 days[15]
13
Dan Shomron
Shomron, DanDan Shomron
(1937–2008)		19 April 19871 April 19913 years, 347 days[15]
14
Ehud Barak
Barak, EhudEhud Barak
(born 1942)		1 April 19911 January 19953 years, 275 days[15][12]
15
Amnon Lipkin-Shahak
Lipkin-Shahak, AmnonAmnon Lipkin-Shahak
(1944–2012)		1 January 19959 July 19983 years, 189 days[15]
16
Shaul Mofaz
Mofaz, ShaulShaul Mofaz
(born 1948)		9 July 19989 July 20024 years, 0 days[15]
17
Moshe Ya'alon
Ya'alon, MosheMoshe Ya'alon
(born 1950)		9 July 20021 June 20052 years, 327 days[15]
18
Dan Halutz
Halutz, DanDan Halutz
(born 1948)		1 June 200514 February 20071 year, 258 days[15]
19
Gabi Ashkenazi
Ashkenazi, GabiGabi Ashkenazi
(born 1954)		14 February 200714 February 20114 years, 0 days[15]
20
Benny Gantz
Gantz, BennyBenny Gantz
(born 1959)		14 February 201116 February 20154 years, 2 days[15][19]
21
Gadi Eizenkot
Eizenkot, GadiGadi Eizenkot
(born 1960)		16 February 201515 January 20193 years, 333 days[15][20]
22
Aviv Kohavi
Kohavi, AvivAviv Kohavi
(born 1964)		15 January 201916 January 20234 years, 1 day[21]
23
Herzi Halevi
Halevi, HerziHerzi Halevi
(born 1967)		16 January 2023Incumbent1 year, 303 days[22]

Timeline

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Herzi HaleviAviv KohaviGadi EizenkotBenny GantzGabi AshkenaziDan HalutzMoshe Ya'alonShaul MofazAmnon Lipkin-ShahakEhud BarakDan ShomronMoshe LeviRafael EitanMordechai GurYitzhak HofiDavid ElazarHaim Bar-LevYitzhak RabinTzvi TzurHaim LaskovMoshe DayanMordechai MaklefYigael YadinYaakov Dori

References

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  1. ^ a b "Lt. Gen. Chaim Bar Lev (1968-1972)". www.idf.il. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Lt. Gen. Yaacov Dori (1948-1949)". Israel Defense Forces. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Cabinet Extends Eitan's Item; Appoints Mandelbaum As the Governor of the Bank of Israel". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 4 January 1982. Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Lt. Gen. Yigal Yadin (1949-1952)". Israel Defense Forces. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Lt. Gen. Mordechai Maklef (1952-1953)". Israel Defense Forces. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Lt. Gen. David Elazar (1972-1974)". Israel Defense Forces. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  7. ^ Greenberg, Hanan (16 January 2007). "IDF Chief Halutz resigns". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 18 January 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  8. ^ Greenberg, Hanan (15 February 2005). "Mofaz ends Chief of Staff's tenure". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  9. ^ Ginsburg, Mitch (4 March 2012). "Timeline of a high-ranking feud". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Basic Law: The Military". Knesset. Archived from the original on 23 April 2003. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Lt. Gen. Yitzhak Rabin (1964-1968)". Israel Defence Forces. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Lt. Gen. Ehud Barak (1991-1995)". Israel Defence Forces. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  13. ^ Keinon, Herb (6 August 2020). "The virtues and pitfalls of former IDF chiefs of staff entering politics". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  14. ^ Hazani, Golan (10 October 2007). "Dan Halutz named CEO of Kamor Motors". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Past Chiefs of Staff". idf.il. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  16. ^ "Lt. Gen. Moshe Dayan (1953-1958)". www.idf.il. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Lt. Gen. Haim Laskov (1958-1961)". www.idf.il. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Lt. Gen. Tzvi Tzur (1961-1963)". www.idf.il. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz Appointed 20th IDF Chief of the General Staff". Israel Defense Forces. 14 February 2011. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  20. ^ Ginsburg, Mitch. "Maj. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot to be named 21st commander of IDF". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  21. ^ "Outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot - A look back". The Jerusalem Post. 11 January 2019. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  22. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (16 January 2023). "Herzi Halevi formally takes over as chief of staff, vows to keep politics out of IDF". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
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