Ashkenazi takes over as army chief

VIDEO - Gabi Ashkenazi, the Israel Defense Forces' 19th chief of staff, was awarded the rank of lieutenant-general Wednesday morning by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz. The ceremony at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem was attended by outgoing Chief of Staff Dan Halutz and former Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon, generals, politicians and Ashkenazi's family members. "The main challenge is rehabilitating the IDF's abilities and applying the lessons learned from the second Lebanon war," said the new chief of staff. He did not forget to mention last summer's achievements along with its failures, saying that "our soldiers had the upper hand in every singe battle." He expressed great appreciation for the reserve soldiers, who "we will be needing for many years to come," and said "we will fix what is necessary. There are not magical solutions." Ashkenazi, Olmert and Halutz (Photo: Tomer Applebaum, BauBau) "As a son of this land whose parents came from foreign countries," added Ashkenazi on a personal note, "the IDF was home to me, and a melting pot. I will work to preserve it as an army of the people operating among its people and community." He did not forget to praise his predecessor, who had once beat him in the race to the position. "Your personal, quality contribution to the defense of the people and the country is very admirable. The people of Israel and the defense establishment should be thankful to you. Danny, my friend, in the name of the people of Israel, I salute you." Halutz: Head chopping culture destructive The 18th chief of staff, Dan Halutz, ended his journey after dozens of military inquiries following the second Lebanon war. Speaking in the ceremony, he did not hide his feelings, and spoke of the "social threats" on society. "A head chopping culture is a destructive one. We must be patient and tolerant even of mistakes, as long as they are reasonable, and the one making them works to see where they went wrong, to reach conclusions and apply the lessons… We must fear those who take glory in constant success, they surely will not reach any conclusions or make any corrections. "The IDF has completed its investigations, and I wonder, what about the national inquiry that will test us all, every last one of us. An examination that will test the dialogue, the leaks, the superficiality, the short-term memory," Halutz said. Awarded rank of Lt.-Gen. by Peretz and Olmert (Photo: Tomer Applebaum, BauBau) Halutz could find some comfort in the words of the prime minister, who praised his ability to cope with extreme situation, and public pressure. To Halutz's successor Olmert said, "Israel is placing its greatest responsibility in your hands." Defense Minister Peretz did not spare the new chief of staff any praise either, saying, "The responsibility now rests on your shoulders, it is the greatest (responsibility) but I believe your shoulders are firm. You have already succeeded in many journeys, but this one is truly the journey of your life – the journey of our lives." Long series of ceremonies From the Prime Minister's Office, the new army chief continued to the President's Residence, where he met with Acting President Dalia Itzik. "The ceremony today is being held under special circumstances," Itzik said. "We are only a few months from the end of the war, which left us with bereavement and injuries and quite a lot of scars. "The ceremony today is being held after the chief of staff's resignation, which was a difficult event in itself. Indeed, these are not easy times. But the shocks of these times must not cause us to be submissive and feel helpless. A society is measured at times of hardship. The entire State of Israel is being examined these days." Ashkenazi said during ceremony, "I am aware of the weight of the responsibility and the expectations. I will do all I can to continue to strengthen and develop the IDF's capacity and strength, along with my fellow General Staff members." Addressing the bereaved families he said, "Even at this very moment I see before my eyes a long line of fallen friends, commanders that were left along the way. We should also remember the bereaved families today." The former director-general of the Defense Ministry and deputy chief of staff then left for the Kirya base in Tel Aviv for a ceremony, where he was received by major-generals of the General Staff. "With a feeling of mission and responsibility accompanied with complete faith in the righteousness of our way as a people and a state, and with complete faith in you, I take upon myself today the role of the Israel Defense Forces' chief of staff," the new army chief told the General Staff on Wednesday afternoon. Alongside the outgoing chief of staff, he shook the hands of all the major general. Following the handover ceremony, he convened the General Staff forum for a toast and for its first meeting. Ashkenazi is very popular among commanders in the field, but will have a difficult time living up to the high expectations. The military he is receiving is in need of a serious awakening, the General Staff will have to examine its actions in all areas, including Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and Iran, while the public's faith in the military is at an all-time low. At the first General Staff meeting he will announce that at this point there are no plans to replace any officers, and that the only changes in the near future would be by any officers who decide to retire on their own. With Ashkenazi's experience and background, he is the uppermost security authority today, and all eyes are on him. He will likely work to get the army back to basics, and is a great believer in the term "army of the people," meaning there are no plans to transform the army into a professional one for the time being. Lilach Shoval, Hanan Greenberg and Yossi Yehoshua contributed to the report

Ashkenazi takes over as army chief

(VIDEO) IDF's 19th chief of staff awarded rank of lieutenant-general in handover ceremony at Prime Minister's Office. In farewell speech, outgoing army chief Halutz blasts absence of 'national inquiry' following war in Lebanon