Defense Minister Israel Katz on Monday attempted to walk back his live-on-television announcement that he was removing IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth from his post, as a broad array of critics, and even allies, accused him of undermining the independence of the military for cheap political gains ahead of the Likud party primaries.

Speaking with the right-wing Channel 14 news late Sunday, Katz announced that Bluth would be removed from his post and replaced, denouncing the top West Bank general for contravening his policy by seeking to renew an administrative restraining order against a violent settler, and declaring that this was unacceptable.

Katz told the live TV studio audience, therefore, that he had decided to appoint IDF Personnel Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa as the next Central Command chief, replacing Bluth. “In any case, it was intended — there is the general, Dado Bar Kalifa, who was the commander of the 36th Division, from the generation of heroes who take the offensive, and I announced that I decided to carry out the intention and to appoint him as the general in charge of Central Command,” said Katz. “By the way, the chief of staff recommended him.”

Katz added: “In the north, the south and the center, I want an IDF that strives for decisive victory, an IDF that hurts its enemies, and protects the settlers.”

The military quickly put out a sharp statement saying Bluth would remain in his post, as the defense minister does not have the authority to unilaterally fire senior army officers. Additionally, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Monday reportedly decided to freeze senior appointments in the military to protect the army from political interference, until at least after the general election that is set for October 27.

Katz’s unprecedented pronouncement drew a torrent of harsh criticism, with opposition lawmakers, former defense chiefs and even settlement council heads calling for his ouster.

In the face of the widespread criticism, Katz tried to explain his way out of the fiasco, claiming he did not call for Bluth’s dismissal, and that any claims to the contrary were “a complete lie,” and “part of a political campaign directed against the government.”

Katz argued that Zamir had already recommended Bar Kalifa as the next Central Command chief, and that his comments on Channel 14 on Sunday were simply his announcement of his intention to “advance his appointment in accordance with  procedures.”

Katz cited a Channel 12 news report from April 24 which said that Zamir had recommended Bar Kalifa as the next Central Command chief, and added: “On July 28, Channel 14 news reported that I had accepted the chief of staff’s recommendation, and after conducting an interview with Maj. Gen. Bar Kalifa and concluding that he was the most suitable candidate, I decided to advance his appointment in accordance with the procedures.”

“In other words, months before the interview [I conducted with Bar Kalifa], the chief of staff’s recommendation had already been made, approved by me, and the appointment process was already well underway. Therefore, the attempt to portray the decision as having been made following the interview does not stand up to the facts,” Katz claimed.

In fact, the IDF had not announced that Bar Kalifa would be replacing Bluth, and neither had........

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