BICOM

Defence Minister Ehud Barak began interviewing candidates for the IDF chief of staff position, Ynetnews reported Thursday evening. The defense minister’s office said in a statement that Barak had interviewed Deputy IDF chief Major General Yair Naveh, Northern Command chief Major General Gadi Eizenkot and former deputy army chief Major General Benny Gantz for the job. Ynetnews also reported that Barak, in coordination with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, intends to speed up the process following the cancellation of the decision to appoint Major General Yoav Galant.

On Tuesday, Barak decided to appoint an interim IDF chief of Staff Major General Yair Naveh. However, senior ministers have called on Netanyahu to thwart this move, and instead extend current Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi’s term by two months. If Netanyahu does not intervene beforehand, Barak’s proposal for an interim chief of staff will be voted on in the weekly cabinet session on Sunday.