IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi tapped Sunday Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim as the new head of the Civil Administration that regulates much of daily life – both Jewish and Arab – in Judea and Samaria.
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Israel Hayom has learned that the appointment – backed by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant – was made without the knowledge of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who oversees the Defense Ministry body that's part of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories unit.
Video: IDF Chief of the Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi stresses the importance of unity. Credit: IDF
Although finance minister, Smotrich holds effective control over key powers in the Civil Administration, which he was granted as part of Coalition negotiations in January. The agreement stipulated, however, that he would have no control over military personnel appointments.
Nevertheless, Smotrich is said to have demanded that another person be appointed to the sensitive position, but his candidate was rejected by both Halevi and Gallant.
Israel Hayom reached out to the IDF for comment, to which it replied saying that "the appointment procedure in the IDF is carried out in an orderly, matter-of-fact, and professional manner" and is conducted under the leadership of the chief of staff, subject to approval by the defense minister.
Gallant and Smotrich were not immediately available for comment.
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