Israel/Defense Forces/Chief of Staff
 Israel/Defense Forces/Chief of Staff  (soldier) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader of | Israel/Defense Forces |
| Chief of the IDF General Staff | |
The Chief of the General Staff, also known as the Commander-in-Chief (Hebrew: Ramatkal), is the professional head of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). The current Chief of the IDF General Staff is Herzi Halevi.[1]
Three-year term
The Chief of the General Staff is officially appointed for a three-year term, which can be extended for another year. An exception was Rafael Eitan, whose term was extended twice, and he served a total of five years.
At the end of his term, the Chief of the General Staff (like other senior members of the Israeli defence establishment) has a cooling-off period of three years before he can be elected a Member of the Knesset, be appointed a Minister in the Government or be elected Prime Minister.[2]
Office Holders
The Chiefs of the IDF General Staff have been:
- Yaakov Dori (1 June 1947 to 9 November 1949)
- Yigael Yadin (9 November 1949 to 7 December 1952)
- Mordechai Maklef (7 December 1952 to 6 December 1953)
- Moshe Dayan (6 December 1953 to 29 January 1958)
- Haim Laskov (29 January 1958 to 1 January 1961)
- Tzvi Tzur (1 January 1961 to 1 January 1964)
- Yitzhak Rabin (1 January 1964 to 1 January 1968)
- Haim Bar-Lev (1 January 1968 to 1 January 1972)
- David Elazar (1 January 1972 to 3 April 1974)
- Yitzhak Hofi (3 April 1974 to 16 April 1974)
- Mordechai Gur (16 April 1974 to 16 April 1978)
- Rafael Eitan (16 April 1978 to 19 April 1983)
- Moshe Levi (19 April 1983 to 19 April 1987)
- Dan Shomron (19 April 1987 to 1 April 1991)
- Ehud Barak (1 April 1991 to 1 January 1995)
- Amnon Lipkin-Shahak (1 January 1995 to 9 July 1998)
- Shaul Mofaz (9 July 1998 to 9 July 2002)
- Moshe Ya'alon (9 July 2002 to 1 June 2005)
- Dan Halutz (1 June 2005 to 14 February 2007)
- Gabi Ashkenazi (14 February 2007 to 14 February 2011)
- Benny Gantz (14 February 2011 to 16 February 2015)
- Gadi Eizenkot (16 February 2015 to 15 January 2019)
- Aviv Kokhavi (15 January 2019 to 16 January 2023)
- Herzi Halevi (16 January 2023 –)
Office Holders on Wikispooks
| Name | From | To | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herzi Halevi | 16 January 2023 | ||
| Aviv Kokhavi | 15 January 2019 | 15 January 2023 | |
| Gadi Eizenkot | 16 February 2015 | 15 January 2019 | |
| Benny Gantz | 14 February 2011 | 16 February 2015 | |
| Moshe Yaalon | 9 July 2002 | 1 June 2005 | |
| Shaul Mofaz | 9 July 1998 | 9 July 2002 | |
| Amnon Lipkin-Shahak | 1 January 1995 | 9 July 1998 | |
| Ehud Barak | 1 April 1991 | 1 January 1995 | |
| Rafi Eitan | 16 April 1978 | 19 April 1983 | |
| Yitzhak Hofi | 3 April 1974 | 16 April 1974 | Acting |
| Yitzhak Rabin | 1 January 1964 | 1 January 1968 | |
| Moshe Dayan | 6 December 1953 | 29 January 1958 |
