Israel Defense Minister Appoints Itai Ofir as Next Military Advocate General

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that he has appointed Itai Ofir as the next Military Advocate General, following the resignation of Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi last week.

Ofir, who served as legal advisor to the Defense Ministry from 2017 to 2024, was selected for his “vision, experience, abilities, and the positions he has held in the past,” Katz said in a statement.

“There is great importance at this time, in light of the serious facts that are being uncovered, to immediately appoint a military advocate general from outside the Military Advocate General [unit], someone untainted by any suspicion and possessing the proper qualifications,” Katz said. He added that the new appointee must work to “cleanse, rehabilitate, and reorganize the military prosecution system” with a focus on protecting IDF soldiers “who are fighting bravely under difficult and complex conditions for the security of the State of Israel.”

Katz criticized what he called “blood libels that defame IDF soldiers, harm their dignity, and expose them to persecution around the world.”

Ofir, a former combat officer in the Givati Brigade and a reserve officer in the Negev Brigade, holds a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s in business administration from Bar-Ilan University, as well as a master’s in law from Harvard University. In 2022, he was a candidate for Israel’s attorney general but was not selected.

The IDF offered no immediate comment on the appointment, which is typically made by the chief of staff and approved by the defense minister.

Legal questions surround the appointment. Under Israel’s Military Justice Law, the military advocate general must be “a military attorney with at least seven years of legal experience,” a requirement that excludes civilians or non-attorney IDF officers. It remains unclear whether Ofir’s appointment will be deemed lawful.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir found out through the media of Defense Minister Israel Katz’s appointment of Itai Ofir as the next military advocate general.

Ofir was one of several recommendations that Zamir presented to Katz. However, Katz did not notify Zamir before making the announcement.

Normally, the IDF chief of staff selects a candidate for a major general role, which is then approved by the defense minister. Katz has sought for months to take control of the IDF’s senior appointments.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says he “welcomes the appointment of attorney Itai Ofir” as the next military advocate general.

According to the IDF, Ofir was Zamir’s “leading candidate for the position.”

“The chief of staff sees utmost importance in appointing a military advocate general who comes from the ranks of combat officers in the IDF, with extensive legal experience and a deep understanding of both the challenges of combat and of law,” the military says, adding that Zamir will “continue to work to stabilize the Military Advocate General’s office as soon as possible for the protection of IDF soldiers.”