IDF Chief and Minister Clash Over Sensitive West Bank Civil Administration Appointment

New details emerged regarding the dispute between IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and Minister Bezalel Smotrich over appointing the next head of the Civil Administration in the West Bank, a key security role that has been vacant for several weeks. Zamir wants to postpone the permanent appointment until after the upcoming elections, believing the next government should make the decision. Meanwhile, he proposes appointing Brigadier General (res.) Fares Atilla as a temporary acting head, a former Civil Administration chief. This temporary appointment does not require political approval, allowing Zamir to act unilaterally.

Minister Smotrich strongly opposes Atilla’s temporary appointment, arguing Atilla represents the old Civil Administration before Smotrich’s reforms. Smotrich is pushing for Brigadier General Yogev Barsheshet, former deputy head of the Civil Administration and current deputy Defense System Comptroller, to be appointed permanently. Barsheshet was wounded in Gaza during the recent war. Zamir has already agreed to appoint Barsheshet to another position, but Smotrich prefers him as head of the Civil Administration.

Another potential compromise candidate is Brigadier General Eliad Moati, whose promotion was blocked by Defense Minister Israel Katz due to his brief tenure as Border Defense Corps commander during the October 7 attacks. Since Moati will not soon be appointed division commander, he might become a consensus candidate if Katz lifts his veto. The appointment remains unresolved amid these political and military disagreements.