There is a rare public dispute among Israel's defense establishment after Defense Minister Israel Katz replaced the Israeli military commander in the West Bank by himself without following the usual military coordination, and Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) have not been satisfied with the latest decision to replace him.
Katz said during a live television show that Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, the head of the IDF's Central Command responsible for operations in the occupied West Bank, would be replaced, but he made the announcement before Bluth had been officially informed and without consulting with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.
The move quickly drew attention as senior military appointments in Israel are traditionally coordinated between the defense minister, the military leadership, and the chief of staff before any public announcement is made.
The dispute follows a dispute between extremist Israeli settler Tal Yinon Dardik and Bluth. Bluth had appealed Katz's decision to lift restrictions on Dardik, who has been linked to an investigation into an incident in Khirbet Humsa in the West Bank in March.
The settlers were alleged to have entered the Palestinian community, assaulted residents, threatened them and took livestock and personal belongings. Israeli authorities are investigating the case, and it has become a politically sensitive issue in Israel.
Katz had visited Dardik during his detention and a number of right-wing politicians had publicly called for his release. The developments added political pressure to an already controversial case and may have exacerbated the tension between the defense minister and military leadership.
In an unprecedented move: Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on live television his intention to fire chief of the IDF’s Central Command, Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth, and appoint Maj.-Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, the current head of the IDF Manpower Directorate, as his successor during an… pic.twitter.com/hydRpuwFXC
— Heedo Abu Laban (@HeedoAbuLaban) August 2, 2026
Following Katz’s televised announcement, the IDF issued a rare public response defending Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth and stressed that appointments of senior commanders should be handled within the lines of the military establishment.
Military officials stressed that the change of leadership needs to be properly and formally approved so that operational continuity and professionalism of the armed forces are kept up.
Katz's office later said Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir had recommended Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa as a candidate for the Central Command position and that discussions about a leadership transition had already taken place internally.
That has also raised questions about whether Israel’s civilian leadership and military command are getting along well in a time of high regional tension. Israel is still struggling with security challenges from Gaza operations on one hand, as well as from its north-west border and the West Bank.
While political leaders and military officials have always had differences, they are rarely aired publicly. Open differences over senior military appointments could be seen as a concern for decision making and coordination in sensitive security missions.
As a result, the IDF continues operations in the West Bank under the present command system. There is no indication as to when the leadership change will actually happen.
The incident underlines the need for the regular military appointment process and the political and security challenges Israel faces with the situation in the region continuing to develop.
