In apparent thawing of ties, Katz meets with Zamir and approves IDF promotions

Defense Minister Israel Katz says he met with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir this morning and approved his list of promotions in the military.

Katz says that he approved the entire list aside from the promotion of Col. (res.) German Giltman, who already said he was withdrawing his candidacy.

Giltman, who retired from the IDF in 2022, was set to be promoted to brigadier general and return to the military to serve in a senior role in the Ground Forces. Katz said he wouldn’t approve the promotion, citing Giltman’s apparent involvement in the Brothers in Arms protest group.

The list announced by Zamir included another officer promoted to brigadier general and 28 promoted to colonel, as well as one brigadier general and nine colonels who are moving to new positions at the same rank.

The defense minister last month had said he was freezing senior IDF appointments, which he must approve, for 30 days until the defense establishment comptroller conducts an investigation of a review of the IDF’s internal October 7 probes.

Katz says that regarding the IDF’s investigations into the October 7 failures and other senior appointments, “the matters will be agreed upon in the coming days.”