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Netanyahu Moves to Contain Katz–Zamir Rift After Public Clash Over Promotions Freeze

He is pressing both men to halt public attacks following a dispute over October 7 accountability.

Overview

  • Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a re-examination of the IDF’s internal October 7 reviews and imposed a 30‑day freeze on senior promotions previously approved by Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.
  • IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir publicly charged that the freeze harms operational readiness, escalating the confrontation into a rare, open dispute.
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a planned three-way meeting, met separately with Katz and Zamir, and instructed both to stop issuing public broadsides.
  • The clash followed Zamir’s dismissal of senior officers tied to October 7 responsibility, a move reported to have been made without prior notice to the defense minister.
  • Israel Hayom reported that Netanyahu is considering replacing Katz with Gideon Sa’ar, a claim the Prime Minister’s Office brushed off as politically motivated leaks.