BICOM

The Turkel Committee, which is tasked with vetting senior civil service appointments in Israel, yesterday approved the appointment of Major-General Benny Gantz as the IDF’s 20th Chief of Staff. Gantz is expected to take up the post after current Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi steps down on Monday. The committee found Gantz to be an ‘extremely worthy’ candidate for the position, rejecting two petitions made against him. Top military and civilian officials will be hoping that the approval of Gantz’s appointment will close one of the most fraught selection processes in the history of the IDF. Major-General Yoav Galant had been slated to take up the position, and Gantz had begun the process of leaving the military. Galant’s candidacy was rejected, however, after allegations surfaced that he had illegally taken over public land near his home. Media speculation regarding the affair is continuing. Some prominent columnists, such as Haaretz‘s Ari Shavit, maintain that questions remain regarding the process whereby Galant’s candidacy was nullified. They suggest that Galant may have been the victim of an organised campaign by rivals within the military.