The Israeli Cabinet has approved the appointment of Col. (res.) Ofir Levy as the deputy head of the country’s National Security Council, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Sunday.
Levy, whose nomination was recommended by NSC head Shmuel Ben-Ezra, replaces outgoing deputy head Gil Reich. The appointment is slated for a five-year term and can be extended for up to a maximum of 10 years.
A veteran of the Israel Defense Forces, Levy brings an extensive security and operational background to the NSC. His military assignments include serving as head of doctrine for the Armored Corps, commander of the 679th Reserve Brigade, and deputy commander of the 210th Golan Heights Regional Division.
During “Operation Defensive Shield” in 2002, he served as deputy commander of the 430th Battalion in the 500th Armored Brigade. During the battalion’s fighting in the Ramallah sector, he rescued a wounded man and a tank under fire, for which he was awarded the Major General’s Medal.
In the private sector, he worked as a border defense consultant for the Haifa-based Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
Levy, 51, holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences with a focus on organizational consulting from Ariel University, and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Haifa.
