Maj. Gen. Danny Yatom has been appointed military secretary to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who also holds the defense portfolio.
The post is currently held by Brig. Gen. Azriel Nevo, who is to be named military attache at one of Israel’s European embassies.
The reason given for appointing a major general to replace a brigadier general is the merging of the secretariat to serve two senior ministries, the Prime Minister’s Office and Defense.
Yatom has been serving as chief of the Israel Defense Force’s Central Command, which includes the West Bank. His replacement in that post will be Maj. Gen. Nehemiah Tamari.
Israeli newspapers said Yatom is being posted away from his area command at his own request.
They reported that Yatom, who was previously military secretary to then Defense Minister Moshe Arens, feels he stands little chance of promotion within the General Headquarters command if he remains in his present post.
He therefore wants to serve a term of appointment in close contact with the prime minister and defense minister, who are the same person.
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