Defense Minister Israel Katz signed the appointment of Adv. Itai Ofir as Military Advocate General on Sunday. Upon taking office, Ofir will be promoted to the rank of major general and is expected to begin his duties in approximately two weeks.
The appointment comes amid reported tensions between the Defense Minister’s Office and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Sources in Netanyahu’s circle claimed the Prime Minister was displeased with both the selection process and the choice of Ofir, and the Prime Minister’s Office reportedly sought to block the appointment in its final stages. According to reports, opposition was spearheaded by Yair Netanyahu, partly due to Ofir’s training at the Wexner Foundation.
Ofir was one of three candidates presented to Katz by Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, alongside Doron Ben-Barak, former Deputy MAG and Chief Censor, and Avi Levy, President of the Haifa District Court.
Between 2017 and 2024, Ofir served as the legal advisor to the defense establishment. Before that, he practiced law in Israel and the United States, eventually becoming a senior partner at a Tel Aviv law firm. In 2022, he was among the final three candidates for the position of Attorney General, following the recommendation of a search committee headed by former Supreme Court President Asher Grunis.
Ofir holds a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s in business administration from Bar-Ilan University, as well as an additional master’s in law from Harvard University. In the IDF, he served as a soldier in the Givati Brigade and in the reserves in the Negev Brigade.