Defense Minister Katz Denies Calling for Central Command Chief's Dismissal on Air

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz denied claims that he called for the dismissal of the Central Command Chief during a broadcast, labeling the allegations as "absolute lies." Katz clarified that the Chief of Staff's recommendation to appoint Major General Dado Bar-Kalifa as Central Command Chief was made public in April, and he approved the appointment in July following an interview. He recounted that when a participant on the program called to "dismiss the general," he immediately and clearly responded, "No." Katz criticized the media, accusing it of conducting a political campaign against the government, and shifted the conversation to question what would happen if Yair Golan became Defense Minister.