The IDF chief of staff has decided to temporarily transfer command responsibility for the Military Advocate General’s Corps to Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, head of the Manpower Directorate.
The decision by Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir comes as the senior leadership of the corps is under investigation following the case involving outgoing Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi. Because none of the unit’s senior officers can currently assume command, and since it will take time for attorney Itay Ofir — who has been appointed as the next Military Advocate General and will receive the rank of major general — to take office, Zamir decided Thursday night to assign Bar Kalifa to the role on an interim basis.
According to the IDF, Bar Kalifa will be responsible only for command aspects of the corps, while a professional acting replacement will be appointed soon. The military said it is working to expedite Ofir’s entry into the position and emphasized the chief of staff’s commitment to stabilizing the corps and ensuring its professional and continuous functioning.
Tomer-Yerushalmi released to house arrest
Maj. Gen. (res.) Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the outgoing Military Advocate General, has been released from Neve Tirtza Prison to house arrest.
Attorney Itay Ofir, the incoming Military Advocate General, served as legal adviser to the Defense Ministry from 2017 to 2024 and was also among the candidates for attorney general in 2022, when Gali Baharav-Miara was ultimately selected.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in law and an MBA from Bar-Ilan University, as well as a master’s degree in law from Harvard University. During his military service, Ofir was an officer in the Givati Brigade and later served in the Negev Reserve Brigade.
The chief of staff congratulated Ofir on his appointment, noting his combat background, extensive legal experience, and familiarity with the challenges of warfare and law.