Benny Gantz named deputy IDF chief amid Ashkenazi-Barak row

Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi named Benny Gantz on Friday as the next deputy chief of staff.

Gantz's nomination is considered to be compromise between Barak and Askenazi, who were unable to agree on who the next deputy should be.

Ashkenazi sought to appoint Gadi Eisenkut, GOC Northern Command, to the post, while Barak proposed GOC Southern Command Yoav Galant. The defense minister argued that appointing Galant would provide a choice of three solid candidates to replace Ashkenazi as chief of staff in 18 months' time, together with Eisenkut and Gantz.

Since Galant had said he will retire if he is not appointed deputy chief of staff, it now remains to be seen if Barak can sway Galant from retiring, perhaps by convincing him to either take an educational leave or take another senior post, such as deputy Mossad or Shin Bet security services chief.

Barak believed that Galant needed the General Staff experience in order to be a legitimate candidate for the top IDF post. Eisenkut and Gantz have already held General Staff posts.

Ashkenazi was opposed to the appointment of Galant as his deputy, on the grounds that their poor relationship would affect their work together.

The chief of staff suggested that retiring deputy chief Dan Harel stay on as his deputy to the end of Ashkenazi's term. Sources said that Barak was not happy about that option.

Gantz has been serving as the IDF attaché in Washington for the last two years. Before that he served as the commander of the Israeli land forces, as the northern command chief and as a reserves commander. He was promoted to the rank of major general in 2001.

Gantz was born in Kefar Ahim in 1959, and served as the last commander of the Lebanon Liaison Unit during the May 2000 withdrawal from south Lebanon.

Later Gantz was named commander of IDF forces in the West Bank, days before the outbreak of the Second Intifada.