Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir Assumes Command as IDF’s 24th Chief of Staff

Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir officially assumed his role as the 24th Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, Zamir was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Following the promotion, the outgoing Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, and Zamir visited the Western Wall and the President’s Residence. There, President Isaac Herzog congratulated Zamir on his new position. The two commanders later visited the National Memorial Hall at Mount Herzl, where they lit a memorial candle and laid a wreath in honor of Israel’s fallen soldiers.

The official handover ceremony between Halevi and Zamir took place at the IDF headquarters in Camp Rabin (the Kirya) in the presence of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla, members of the IDF General Staff Forum, senior officers, and family members. The ceremony began with the sounding of “Yizkor” in memory of fallen soldiers.

Zamir, who previously served as Director General of the Ministry of Defense, succeeds Halevi, who has completed two years as Chief of Staff and is concluding a 40-year military career. 

"You have achieved tremendous accomplishments, and many challenges still lie ahead. We will face difficult days, but better days await us as well. A remarkable people, filled with tears and hope, look to us. Our actions will speak for themselves!" Zamir wrote in his first daily order, published this morning (Thursday).

In his farewell speech yesterday, Halevi reflected on his service, emphasizing the profound impact of October 7, 2023.

“For over 57 years, I have been a citizen of Israel, and for almost 40 years, a soldier of the state,” he said. “I served as Chief of Staff for two years and two months during a challenging period. The morning of Simchat Torah, October 7, 2023, divides everything into ‘before’ and ‘after’—a moment that will never be forgotten. I had the privilege to stand and say, ‘Here I am,’ in both failures and successes.

"When the country you love is in danger, there is no place you would rather be than leading and influencing. I would have preferred to prevent it. I would have preferred none of this had happened. But this was my watch, and what happened is my responsibility—I bear it and always will.

"From this moment forward, every officer and commander must see themselves as if they were there on October 7. They must remember, learn the lessons, and act to ensure that such a day never happens again in our nation’s history. The IDF has fulfilled its missions for many years. On October 7, the IDF failed. It was a profound failure, but an event of this magnitude cannot be examined solely within the IDF and the Shin Bet.

"The IDF operates within national priorities, executing policies as directed. A state commission of inquiry is both necessary and vital—not for the sake of blame, but to reach the root of the issues and enable true correction.

"If you ever need a soldier in the darkness of night, I am yours—always.”