Likud figures blindsided as new Defence Minister creates chaos within hours of appointment

Senior members of Israel’s Likud party are furious with new Defence Minister Israel Katz, who created the impression of forcing out a senior military commander during a live broadcast just hours after taking office. The appointment of Katz, which was only confirmed on Wednesday, has already sparked a major confrontation between the political leadership and the Israel Defence Forces. Likud officials expressed shock at what they characterised as an unnecessarily aggressive opening move by the new minister, with one senior party figure describing the impression as damaging to the military’s stability at a sensitive time.

Meanwhile, Katz has escalated tensions with the IDF further by claiming that outgoing Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi attempted to block the appointment of Dado Bar-Kalifa to a senior military position. The Defence Minister’s allegations suggest a deeper power struggle between the political echelon and military leadership over key personnel decisions. Katz appears intent on asserting civilian control over military appointments from his first day in the role, a move that has alarmed both his own party colleagues and military officials. The confrontational tone has raised concerns among Likud insiders about whether the new Defence Minister’s combative approach could destabilise civil-military relations at a critical juncture for Israel’s security establishment.

Source: Maariv — Original article in Hebrew.