The Cabinet, meeting in special session, today accepted the proposal of Defense Minister Moshe Arens to appoint the Deputy Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Moshe Levi, as Chief of Staff. He will take over his new post as Israel’s 12th Chief of Staff from Gen. Rafael Eitan when he retires on April 19.
Levi’s appointment had been widely anticipated, as Arens had clearly preferred him over his rivals, Major Generals Avigdor Ben-Gal and Dan Shomron. Among Levi’s first tasks will be to meet with Arens on a number of new appointments of senior officers to head area commands and functional corps such as the Intelligence Corps.
Levi, who was born in Iraq, was a former commander of the army’s Central Command but has never headed a large formation in wartime. But as Commander of the Central Command he was for many years in charge of the army on the West Bank. He is regarded as a very thorough, quiet, but “extremely basic” commander, according to officers who have worked with him.
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