New IDF deputy chief of staff ‘very prepared’ for new job
Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi takes over as deputy chief of staff from Maj. Gen. Yair Golan; IDF expects Kochavi to assist the chief of staff with the relationship between the army and civilian society.
Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi began his tenure as deputy IDF chief of staff on Thursday, replacing Maj. Gen. Yair Golan, who has left to resume academic studies.
That same day, Moni Katz replaced Maj. Gen. Tal Russo as commander of the Depth Corps and was promoted to the rank of major general.
Kochavi, 54, began his career as a paratrooper combat soldier. He later served as the commander of the Paratroopers Brigade, the commander of the Gaza Division, the head of the Operations Branch in the General Staff, the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate and most recently as the GOC Northern Command.
Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, described Kochavi as “an excellent and sharp-minded commander who comes to the position of deputy chief of staff very prepared. “
In addition to helping the chief of staff with operational issues, force buildup, personnel issues, and military planning for the years ahead, Kochavi will aid him with the relations between the military and civilian society. The goal is to repair the damage the IDF has suffered over the past year with the Elor Azaria case and tension with Religious Zionist rabbis.
In the two years he has served as chief of staff, Eisenkot has been praised for his job performance in military matters but criticized in his handling of civilian matters. In the Azaria case, for example, the army was severely criticized by the judges.
Sources in the IDF say that Eisenkot needs a deputy to help with such matters to maintain the level of public trust and desire to serve in combat units by new recruits.
(Translated and edited by J. Herzog)
