BICOM

Maj.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi was sworn in as the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) 22^nd Chief of Staff at a ceremony on Tuesday.

Speaking at IDF Headquarters, where the ceremony took place, Kochavi thanked outgoing Chief of Staff, Gadi Eisenkot, and promised to: “Devote all my energies to reinforcing the ‘defensive wall’, with a focus on expanding our ability to strike at the enemy and ensuring that the IDF is efficient and innovative.”

In his leaving speech, Eisenkot addressed Kochavi, saying: “The army I am turning over to you today is an advanced army that remains true to its roots and spirit.” He described Kochavi as an officer “who was able to face the most complex challenges”. Addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also attended the event, Eisenkot said: “All your decisions were geared at the public, professional and relevant, which contributed to the security of the state.” As a farewell gift, Eisenkot gave Netanyahu a section of the drill used to locate a tunnel during Operation Northern Shield, the operation which revealed the existence of Hezbollah tunnels into Israel.

Netanyahu spoke at the ceremony and referred to Iran’s recent announcement about a failed launch of a satellite into space saying that Tehran is “lying when it claims it is launching a simple satellite into space, when it is actually an inter-continental ballistic missile”. He also spoke about the Iranian presence in Syria saying: “I advise them to leave Syria quickly; because we will continue our determined policy”. On Sunday, Netanyahu publicly announced that Israel had carried out airstrikes against Iranian positions in Damascus.

Amos Harel in Haaretz writes that Kochavi: “Will have to adjust quickly. In all his posts so far he has been considered revolutionary, a commander who specialises in dismantling and rebuilding. This time around, the job is considerable. Israel has halted Iran’s efforts to entrench itself in Syria, but that doesn’t mean the Revolutionary Guards have given up. Hezbollah might still try to set up weapons plants in Lebanon. Efforts at an agreement for the Gaza Strip have only yielded temporary results, and it’s doubtful that the shipments of Qatari cash and fuel into Gaza will ensure quiet vis-à-vis Hamas over the long term. It also appears that the era of Mahmoud Abbas’ presidency of the Palestinian Authority will end on Kochavi’s watch.”