The Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, decided today (Wednesday) to appoint R. from the General Staff to the position of GSS chief.
R. (55), married and a father of three, holds a bachelor's degree in political science and philosophy from Tel Aviv University and a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University, and currently serves as deputy head of the General Security Service.
R. performed his military service in the IDF as a fighter in the General Staff Reconnaissance Regiment, and then enlisted in the GSS as a fighter in the Operations Unit.
As part of his many years of service for Israel's security, R. fought and commanded many operations in the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria and Lebanon.
In 2011 he was appointed head of the GSS Operations Division, in 2016 he was appointed head of the headquarters division responsible for building the organization's power and in 2018 he was appointed deputy head of the service, a position he has held for the past two and a half years.
Over the years, a number of security awards were given to the operations led by R. and to the units he headed.
In view of his many years of experience, performance and understanding of the significant challenges facing the State of Israel in general, and before the General Security Service in particular, Prime Minister Bennett chose to appoint him to the post of GSS chief.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett: "R. is a bold fighter and an excellent commander. I have no doubt that he will lead the service to new heights of excellence for Israel's security."
In R. Gali: The struggle for the GSS presidency has reached a boiling point
The appointment of the head of the GSS took place with considerable delay: the previous head, Nadav Argaman, had already completed the five years stipulated in the law in May, and granted the request to stay until September, which was extended again until mid-October.
The candidates to replace him are R. and R.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has already interviewed them, and now he is required to decide.
Crimson made it clear that he would not recommend either.
If asked, he would list the pros and cons of each.
In any case, his main concern was removed - the fear that he did not try to hide that his successor would be Meir Ben Shabbat, head of the National Security Staff and who most likely would have accepted the GSS if the appointor had been Benjamin Netanyahu.
R. and R. (forgive the readers), both grew up in the Shin Bet. The former began as a coordinator and held various positions in the field, as well as a position in the technology division. The position is pending, and serves as a project manager in the Department of Weapons Development and Infrastructure (Mapat) in the Ministry of Defense.
Rabbi II was a fighter in the General Staff Reconnaissance Regiment, and enlisted in the GSS as an operations fighter. He held a large number of command and management positions in the Operations Division, up to eight head of the division. Further to this - like the first R. - he was the head of the staff division, and currently serves as the deputy head of the service.
The two R. speak Arabic, and both are graduates of the Wexner Foundation.
In this, by and large, the resemblance between them ends, and the essential difference begins;
The first represents the classic world of the GSS intelligence, and the second the operational world. Both are very worthy, and will be accepted naturally in the organization. , Which is especially liked by the appointee).
The cyber challenge of the service
During his time as head of the GSS, Argaman promoted two main areas. The first, the operational-intelligence connection, the only end of which was reflected in Operation Wall Guard in Gaza. The second, the technological one, in which the organization made a significant leap in capabilities and response. The GSS missed the riots in the cities involved.
It is not a matter of missing the specific timing of the outbreak of violence - it is doubtful that there is a factor that can point to this accurately - but of locating deep currents in Arab society, and warning and seeking an early solution to the problem.
These events have proven that there is a direct link between crime and terrorism.
In many cases, these are the same factors and the same weapon.
So far, the GSS has refused to touch on what is not completely terrorism. Even when Molotov cocktails were thrown at police stations in Ramla and Lod, even when power poles were cut or communication pits were damaged in the south, the GSS left the police to deal with the problem.
Now, a repair is required.
His part has already been done through the GSS 'entry into locating, arresting and interrogating anyone who was involved in the riots, but the main thing is still ahead of us. The extremist and the potential for violence on his part, which has shifted in part to intense activity on social media (which because of its dangerous potential has been warned by Crimson, but necessitates tougher measures).
The second challenge is the Palestinian Authority. Abu Mazen is in the twilight of his tenure. His popularity is at an unprecedented low, due to his decision to postpone the election and following the popularity that Hamas has gained around the events of East Jerusalem. His successor will, in all probability, be more extreme than he is, and he may also seek cooperation with Hamas.
Israel has been neglecting the Palestinian arena for many years. This is due to the relative security calm that prevails in Judea and Samaria (mainly thanks to the successful thwarting of the GSS), and to the political disconnect with the PA. Shin Bet has an ongoing relationship with Abu Mazen and his people, but he prepare now interchangeable, know how to communicate with all applicants (and the opposition), and in particular to be alert and identify and warn in advance about the expected changes, some of which will mean political, economic and security a lot.
The third challenge It is intra-organizational, but it has far-reaching operational implications. The main decision that his replacement will be required to be will be whether to leave the separation between the cyber division and the computing infrastructure division (IT), or to connect them. During his tenure as head of the Mossad, Yossi Cohen led such a connection, but his successor, Dedi Barnea, is now leading a move to re-separate the wings.
Naturally, the appointment of one R. will result in a retirement of R. the other.
It is likely that a few more senior members of the organization will retire later, who will understand that their chances of promotion have faded.
It is a natural and necessary process;
Argaman himself (who plans to go on a long vacation; they will not find him in politics) also says that the time has come to inject new blood into the GSS.
The legacy of Roni Daniel
A decade or more ago, Roni Daniel led a Channel 2 series on Bahad 1. The IDF allowed television cameras to track cadets at the officers' school, and to accompany them with difficulty and joy - and there are quite a few in this Sisyphean course - from arriving at the base in Mitzpe Ramon, to For the coveted MM pin.
One of the cadets that Daniel's camera captured was her son Sarel from Kiryat Arba, a fighter from the Givati Reconnaissance Squadron. D1 then, Aaron Haliva, and conveys criticism. Haliva, who did not like things, answered him firmly.
Two of the three protagonists of the same scene are not among the living. Daniel passed away this week. Israel - who advanced in the army and became commander of the Givati Regiment - was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Operation Eitan. Liel Gideoni and Hadar Goldin, whose body was abducted and is still being held in Gaza, were also killed in this clash.
Haliva has also advanced in the army since then. He commanded the Paratroopers Brigade and the 98th Division, was head of the Operations Division and head of the Technology and Logistics Division, and recently completed a long and successful term as Head of the Operations Division.
Soon, Haliva will take up his next position as head of the intelligence department. In preparation for the role, he is advised to watch that scene again, in which he confronts the cadet Sarel. Not many cadets would dare to look so directly at their superiors much, and speak directly and courageously, believing and knowing that they might be harmed by it.
As head of the Armed Forces, Haliva will be required to do just that. To look at senior officials and those stronger than him - the prime minister, the defense minister and the chief of staff, as well as others - and to express his professional opinion, without flattery and beautification, even if it is criticized and disliked. This was the way of Israel, and it was also the way of Roni Daniel, a journalist and a unique and special person, who will be sorely missed in the public, journalistic and military landscape.