Israeli army chief faces possible ouster amid dispute over appointment of deputy: Report

Israeli political leaders are considering removing Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir after the Oct. 27 election if the right remains in power, amid mounting tensions over the selection of his deputy, Israel’s Channel 14 reported Monday. The dispute centers on Zamir's push to appoint Ori Gordin, the former head of the Northern Command, while political leaders favor Yaniv Asor, the current Southern Command chief, the broadcaster said. Citing senior security officials, Channel 14 reported that Zamir has been making intensive efforts to secure Gordin's appointment despite knowing the political leadership's preference for Asor. According to officers at military headquarters, Gordin has been given an office near Zamir's at the Defense Ministry complex in Tel Aviv and regularly attends key meetings alongside him. He has also been assigned responsibilities previously handled by the current deputy chief of staff, Tamir Yadai, the report said. The dispute has sparked heated exchanges between Zamir and political officials during closed-door meetings, further straining relations between the military and political leadership, according to the broadcaster. The report comes ahead of Israel's parliamentary election scheduled for Oct. 27.