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IDF chief appoints military attaché in Washington, head of Operations Division

The officers will join Brig. Gen. Guy Markizeno, whom Netanyahu appointed to serve as his military secretary, in their new roles.

Former Israel Defense Forces Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, former Operations Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk and Gaza Division chief Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram stand near slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's body in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, Oct. 17, 2024. Credit: IDF.
Then-Israel Defense Forces Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, Operations Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk and OC Gaza Division Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram stand near slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s body in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, Oct. 17, 2024. Credit: IDF.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has appointed Col. Tal Politis as the IDF’s military attaché in Washington, the army said on Thursday. Politis is set to be promoted to the rank of brigadier general.

In addition, Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram will be appointed as head of the IDF’s Operations Division and will assume the role in the coming days, the IDF said.

The appointments were approved by Defense Minister Israel Katz, and were made in the wake of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appointment of Brig.-Gen. Guy Markizeno as his military secretary earlier in the day.

Markizeno will be promoted to the rank of major general and will replace Maj.-Gen. Roman Gofman, whom Netanyahu recently appointed director of the Mossad. Netanyahu informed Katz and Zamir of the decision, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

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