The IDF announced Monday evening that Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa will be appointed commander of Central Command and replace Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth next year.
The military said Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the recommendation of Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. “The officer will begin his role in 2027, in accordance with the operational situation assessment,” the IDF said.
Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa
(Photo: Shaul Golan)
The appointment comes weeks after Katz announced during a television interview that Bar Kalifa would replace Bluth, setting off controversy over the way the decision was made public. At the time, Katz’s office said Zamir had already recommended Bar Kalifa for the role at the end of April and had asked the defense minister to interview him. Katz interviewed Bar Kalifa in June, his office said, and concluded that he was the most suitable candidate to command Central Command.
The IDF’s announcement now formally confirms the appointment while making clear that Bluth will remain in the post until the transition in 2027.
Bar Kalifa, 50, currently serves as head of the IDF Personnel Directorate, a position he has held since November 2024. He was born in 1976 and enlisted in the Golani Brigade in 1995.
He commanded the Givati Brigade’s Shaked Battalion from 2008 to 2010 and later headed the brigade’s training base. From 2012 to 2014, he served as the Ground Forces liaison officer to the U.S. Marine Corps.
Bar Kalifa went on to command the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade from 2014 to 2016 and the Givati Brigade from 2017 to 2019. From 2019 to 2022, he commanded the Sinai Division and the IDF’s Alon Command and Staff College.
From 2022 to 2024, he commanded the 36th Division and led it during ground operations in central Gaza.
He is a graduate of Israel’s National Security College, holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ono Academic College and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Haifa. He is married, has five children and is a grandfather of two.
The IDF also announced a broad round of senior appointments following a personnel meeting chaired by Zamir, with most of the appointments still requiring Katz’s approval.
Among them, Brig. Gen. R. will be appointed commander of the Military Intelligence Directorate’s Special Operations Division, Brig. Gen. Hai Kfir Magnazi will become chief of staff of the Technology and Logistics Directorate, and Col. Elad Benano Zion will head the directorate’s Logistics Division and be promoted to brigadier general.
The military also named new commanders for several major combat formations. Col. Bar Bashan will command the Givati Brigade, Col. Eitan Gilad the Nahal Brigade, Col. Ran Friedman the Paratroopers Brigade, Col. Shimon Siso the Commando Brigade and Col. Nir Ifergan the Kfir Brigade.
Col. Yonatan Meir will command the 7th Armored Brigade and Col. Tal Elkobi the 188th Armored Brigade. Col. Efrat Kikuv will command the 282nd Artillery Brigade, while Col. Niv Dauba will command the 460th Armored Brigade.
The Navy will also see changes in senior command, with Col. O. appointed commander of Shayetet 13, Col. B. commander of the submarine flotilla and Col. V. commander of the missile boat flotilla.
Additional appointments were announced across the Air Force, Southern and Northern commands, the Operations Directorate, Planning Directorate, Technology and Logistics Directorate, Medical Corps and military colleges.