Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi convened the General Staff on Monday for a weeklong workshop during which the generals will approve the IDF's multi-year budgetary plan as well as its procurement program for the next five years.
At the top of the agenda is restructuring the IDF to refocus on ground forces instead of air forces as was done under former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz. The Halutz doctrine of conquest from the air was discarded following the inability of the IDF to beat the Hizbullah in the Second Lebanese War. Defense Minister Ehud Barak is keen on creating two additional reserve divisions, outfitted with Merkava battle tanks.