Attorney Itai Ofir was promoted on Thursday to the rank of Major General in a ceremony held at the “Rabin” Base (the Kirya), led by IDF Chief of Staff LTG Eyal Zamir, with Defense Minister Israel Katz participating. Members of the General Staff Forum, commanders, and family members were also present.
With the conferral of his new rank, Maj. Gen. Ofir officially entered his position as the Military Advocate General. He succeeds Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who was dismissed from her post after being allegedly implicated in the leak of footage from the Sde Teiman base that was said to prove the abuse of an imprisoned terrorist.
Defense Minister Katz addressed the current challenges facing the IDF, noting both operational demands and what he described as a severe moral and public crisis. He said the leaked recording from Sde Teiman was “one of the most severe blood libels ever directed against IDF soldiers” and warned it “gravely harmed the system and, above all, the trust that the public places in the IDF.”
According to Katz, restoring public trust is essential for both the IDF and the Military Advocate General’s Corps. “We will confront the crisis if we correct the serious mistakes that were made,” he said, adding that he was certain Maj. Gen. Ofir would “turn this major crisis into an opportunity.”
Chief of Staff LTG Zamir described the Military Advocate General’s Corps as an inseparable and critical part of the IDF. “Behind every significant operational move carried out by IDF troops… stands a stable and professional legal backbone,” he said, emphasizing that this foundation ensures the army’s legitimacy and moral clarity.
Zamir outlined the need for diversification within the Corps, emphasizing the importance of integrating combat officers to strengthen the connection with operational units. “I am fully confident that you will know how to lead the Corps from the front,” he told Maj. Gen. Ofir.
He added that the IDF must rebuild public trust with professionalism, transparency where possible, and consistency. Zamir called on the soldiers and commanders of the Corps to take part in the corrective and growth processes the system requires.
Maj. Gen. Ofir, in his remarks, emphasized the responsibility placed on the IDF and the Military Advocate General’s Corps. “We have only one state… which we must guard with utmost vigilance,” he said, adding that the IDF must remain “not only the best military, but also the most moral and principled.”
He noted that the IDF operates within a complex reality where the rule of law must remain a source of strength, not a burden. Maj. Gen. Ofir pledged to work toward improvement, correction where necessary, and raising the Corps to new achievements to enable the IDF and its personnel to fulfill their missions.
He concluded by committing himself to serve as a faithful public servant, always keeping the men and women of the IDF in mind and heart.