Israel's military defies Katz
A fight between the Israeli military (IDF) and Defense Minister Israel Katz has flared up since the latter dismissed the commander of the forces in the West Bank.
"The Chief of Staff will not change the roles of key commanders at this sensitive time," the IDF wrote in a statement.
Israel Katz announced on live television on Sunday that Avi Bluth, who is responsible for IDF operations in the West Bank, is being fired and replaced by Dado Bar-Khalifa.
The announcement was made without first informing the IDF, the military wrote on Telegram. According to the statement, Bluth will not be replaced following the minister's remarks.
"Once such a decision is made, it will be made by the Chief of Staff and approved in accordance with current procedures."
According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the attempt to replace Bluth is seen as politically motivated after he questioned Katz's handling of a far-right settler in the West Bank.
During the television appearance, Katz said that Bluth's criticism was "a slip" and that he wants a military that "attacks its enemies and protects its settlers".
Settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has escalated recently. Several officers in the Israeli military are urging settlers to remain calm. Haaretz has previously reported that the officers want the government to tighten the legal process for settler groups that organize acts of violence against Palestinian villages.
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