After a public uproar and criticism from various quarters, efforts are currently underway to keep Hashmonaim Brigade commander Avinoam Emunah in the IDF.
At the beginning of the month journalist Yossi Yehoshua noted that the IDF "showed him the door," a decision that raised puzzlement given his command background and the achievements he accumulated during his service.
According to a report on Walla this week, during IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir's visit to the Hashmonaim Brigade for Hanukkah, the two held a private conversation that lasted about thirty minutes. According to the report, Zamir expressed great appreciation for Avinoam, and the discussion also addressed the question of his continued service in the IDF.
The main difficulty is finding a suitable operational post for Avinoam that would allow his promotion to the rank of Brigadier General. Sources in the brigade say several staff positions were offered to him, but he wishes to continue on the command track, with emphasis on field roles such as command of a division.
Against the backdrop of the issue being raised in the media, the Defense Minister's office examined the option of placing Avinoam in a civilian role within the Ministry of Defense's Haredi Administration.
However, IDF sources asked for additional time to consider other proposals within the system. There are also people in the Prime Minister's office working to find a solution that would allow him to continue serving.
Avinoam is regarded as an outstanding and respected officer, who commanded, among others, Battalion 101 of the Paratroopers Brigade during Operation Protective Edge, as well as the Maglan special forces unit.
More recently, he led the establishment of the Hashmonaim Brigade, the first regular haredi brigade, and succeeded in establishing within it a military framework that combines maintaining an haredi lifestyle with significant combat service.
In April 2023 Avinoam's name made headlines after a meeting he held with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, regarding his possible candidacy to command the National Guard.
The meeting took place without the knowledge of his superiors and without approval, and as a result he was reprimanded by the commander of the military colleges.