New head of IDF Operations takes up post

The army’s thus far successful efforts to prevent all-out war in the region will be in vain, unless the military “continues to learn to adapt much faster than our enemies,” the outgoing head of IDF Operations tells his successor.

Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, who has served in the position for three years, tells his replacement Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva a “heavy responsibility” comes with the new position.

“I can promise you one thing, you won’t be bored for a moment,” Alon says, during a ceremony at the army’s Tel Aviv headquarters.

IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot also delivers remarks at the event, noting that Haliva is entering the position at a time particularly fraught with tensions — with Iran in Syria, with Hamas in Gaza and with “day-to-day terror” in the West Bank.

“In the past few weeks, the IDF has faced many complicated challenges, from thwarting the efforts of Iran to deepen its grip on our borders, to dealing with terrorism conducted under the over of mass protests by the Hamas terror group, to the prevention of day-to-day terror and the safeguarding of the quality of life in Judea and Samaria,” Eisenkot says, using the biblical term for the West Bank.

In his speech, Eisenkot thanks Alon for his service over the past three years and wishes Haliva luck in his new position.

“No one is better suited than you to command the Israel Defense Forces’ Operations Directorate,” Eisenkot tells Haliva.

— Judah Ari Gross