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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Senior female Muslim officer tapped as next IDF Arabic-language spokesperson
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Military spokesperson Maj. Ella Waweya in an undated portrait. (Israel Defense Forces)
Maj. Ella Waweya has been selected by the military to replace Col. Avichay Adraee as the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson.
Waweya, who is known as “Captain Ella,” is among the most senior female Arab Muslim officers in the military.
She has been serving in the IDF since 2013, and is currently Adraee’s deputy.
Adraee, who served as the Arabic-language spokesman for the past 20 years, is set to retire.
Waweya will be promoted to lieutenant colonel, and a handover ceremony is expected to take place in the coming weeks.
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