The Israeli government officially confirmed a settler, Major General Herzi Halevi, as the 23rd military chief of staff of Israel’s Defense Forces on 24 October.
Halevi, former head of Military Intelligence and the Southern Command, and current deputy chief of the IDF general staff will begin his three-year term on 17 January.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz proposed Halevi’s appointment in early September, citing the IDF’s need for stability, according to the Israeli portal Ynet.
The move is considered unorthodox ahead of Israel’s November elections, as caretaker governments have traditionally avoided approving senior posts.
Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers called for the caretaker government to be prevented from making any high-level appointments until the formation of a new government.