Eyal Zamir, Amir Baram, and Tamir Yadai
Eyal Zamir, Amir Baram, and Tamir YadaiYonatan Sindel, Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90/Flash90

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that starting Sunday, he will begin the process of selecting the next IDF Chief of Staff and begin interviewing candidates for the position, after Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi announced he will step down as Chief of Staff in March.

The candidates who will be called for interviews are: Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, Director General of the Defense Ministry, Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir, and Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai.

Katz said, "I intend to conduct an orderly and rapid process to enable the Chief of Staff to be appointed to prepare as soon as possible for the many security challenges facing the State of Israel at this time."

He added, "As I announced, I intend to select the best and most suitable candidate to lead the IDF in this challenging period, and as Prime Minister and first Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion said: 'Every Jewish mother should know that she has entrusted the fate of her children to the commanders who are worthy of it.'"

Major General Ori Gordin, the chief of the IDF's Northern Command, was not named among the three candidates despite having been considered a top candidate by analysts, who now expect the Defense Minister to ask whoever is named Chief of Staff to select Gordin as his deputy.

The Prime Minister's military secretary, who is considered a candidate for the position, was also not included in the Defense Minister's list of interviewees.