On Sunday, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman submitted the name of his candidate to the post of chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi.
In a letter to the chairman of the committee, retired judge Eliezer Goldberg, Defense Minister Liberman wrote:
"Over the last few months, I have conducted regular staff work to select a candidate for the IDF Chief of Staff. As part of the process, the candidacies of Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi, Major General Yair Golan, Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon and Major General Eyal Zamir were examined. During this time I met with former prime ministers, defense ministers, chiefs of staff and senior officers With Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and with the current chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot.
"Of all the candidates, Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi is the most suitable candidate for the position, and the unique combination of his functions, his proven command capabilities during times of emergency and routine, his impressive command and operational experience, to be the IDF Chief of Staff.
"In his various capacities, Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi demonstrated leadership, daring, creativity, impressive command capabilities and a comprehensive and multi-dimensional vision. In addition, he has led to the exploitation of operational, intelligence and technological disciplines in the front line, on land and air in the sea, in cyberspace and in the rear, and in the framework of which he has conceived and implemented innovative organizational processes and built significant cooperation with other security bodies in Israel and abroad. Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi has successfully led to extensive organizational changes and processes, including significant changes in the IDF's operational planning, the formulation of operational concepts, the development of the cyber dimension in the IDF, the building of the concept of combat warfare (intelligence-based warfare that constitutes a revolution in the accessibility of intelligence information to combatants) - The Defense and Border Organization in the north.
"As stated, Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi has impressive operational and command experience, and has integrity, values and morality. In view of the above, Major General Aviv Kochavi is the most appropriate and worthy candidate for the position of chief of staff.
"Therefore, the Committee is requested to express its opinion regarding the candidacy of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Aviv Kochavi, to the 22nd Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, as soon as possible."