IDF deputy chief of staff requests to step down, indicates he hopes to succeed Halevi
Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, who extended tenure amid war, appears to criticize the military head in a letter leaked to the media; move seen as opening salvo in race to be next IDF chief
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Israel Defense Forces Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Amir Baram on Friday notified his commander, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, that he would finish his role as planned at the end of February.
Several months ago, Baram was asked to extend his two-year tenure as deputy chief of staff by six months due to the ongoing war.
In a letter to Halevi that was leaked to the media, Baram said since the intensity of the war has recently “decreased significantly,” he feels that currently his “ability to contribute as deputy chief of staff is limited.”
The remarks appeared to be a veiled criticism of Halevi, who has indicated he would resign from the military over his involvement in the failures that led to the October 7, 2023, onslaught, though he has yet to do so.
Baram in his letter said he has no intention to serve as deputy chief of staff for any longer than already planned.
The deputy chief of staff said he was requesting to end his role at the end of February, which would be two and half years since he began the position.
“Of course in the future, I am willing to fill any role required in the defense establishment,” Baram added in his letter, indicating that he was planning to run for chief of staff after Halevi resigns.
The IDF said that Halevi and Baram discussed the matter, and Halevi “expressed his appreciation for the deputy’s important work during the war and in general.”
Relations between Halevi and Baram have been somewhat strained amid the war, sources have said, despite denials from their offices.
Halevi has indicated that he would resign from the IDF once the military concludes its investigations into the October 7 attack. Defense Minister Israel Katz last month ordered Halevi to complete the probes by the end of January, and until then would not approve the appointments of senior officers.
Baram, a former head of the IDF Northern Command and other senior roles in the military, has been seen as a potential successor to Halevi for several years. The deputy chief of staff role is a pivotal post on the path to the top spot.
Another officer whose name has been brought up several times in media reports since the start of the war as a potential successor to Halevi is Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir, the current director general of the Defense Ministry and a former deputy chief of staff. Zamir was twice passed over for the role of military chief in the past.
Still, the race to become the next chief of the IDF has not yet been formally launched. Baram’s announcement on Friday was thought to push things forward.
