First in IDF History: Retired Police Commissioner Appointed as General in IDF General Staff
Yoram Halevi to Become Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories; Appointment Imposed on Chief of Staff
For the first time in IDF history, a retired police commissioner has been appointed as a general in the IDF General Staff.
Retired Commissioner Yoram Halevi received his general's rank today, ahead of assuming the position of Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) next Wednesday.
General Halevi stated: "When the state calls you to a mission - you report for duty. In recent months I have studied the COGAT units, the missions and the sensitivities of the position. At a time like this, with new mechanisms being formed - the weight and importance of the unit only continue to grow."
It is worth noting on this occasion that Yoram Halevi's appointment as COGAT was imposed on Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, as were quite a few other appointments in the past year. Defense Minister Katz refused to promote the Chief of Staff's candidate for the COGAT position, Major General Hisham Ibrahim, and instead decided to make an unprecedented move in IDF history - bringing in a retired police commissioner who had not previously dealt with security coordination and liaison issues, and had not served in senior positions in the IDF - to the sensitive position of COGAT, during this sensitive period.