IDF Chief of Staff Approves Bar Kalifa as Central Command Head Despite Earlier Vow

Despite announcing he would not hold a round of appointments before the elections, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir approved the appointment of Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa as commander of the Central Command. The appointment comes after Defense Minister Israel Katz expressed his desire for Bar Kalifa in the role. Bar Kalifa, born in 1976, enlisted in 1995 in the Golani Brigade. He has held numerous senior command positions, including commander of the Southern Brigade in the Gaza Division, commander of the Golani Brigade, commander of the 36th Division, and head of the IDF Manpower Directorate since November 2024. He led the division during the maneuver in the central Gaza Strip.