Officials in Defense Minister Ehud Barak's office on Tuesday denied a report on Channel 1, that the term of IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi would be extended by at least a year, in light of the increasing tension with Iran. The sources criticized the IDF Spokesperson, Avi Benyahu, whom they said was responsible for the information. The sources said that the announcement "demeaned the status of the Chief of Staff, and the office."