Brig. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi was named the Israel Defense Forces’ up coming navy advocate normal and the second female big general in the country’s historical past on Thursday.
Protection Minister Benny Gantz authorised her nomination by IDF Main of Staff Aviv Kohavi. Legal professional Basic Avichai Mandelblit was also consulted about the appointment, Gantz’s place of work explained.
“Tomer-Yerushalmi is initially and foremost a great attorney, with knowledge and a rich history in all fields needed for the navy advocate typical. I am guaranteed that she will have out her do the job excellently, dealing with the complicated missions that are on the docket, including defending IDF soldiers, international legislation, and aiding the operational echelon in carrying out their do the job in accordance with the legislation,” Gantz said in a statement.
Tomer-Yerushalmi will get more than for Maj. Gen. Sharon Afek, himself the very first overtly gay key basic in the IDF.
The military services in the latest a long time has faced criticism for failing to endorse women to senior positions, as noted by Kohavi before this yr with a pledge to handle the subject.
Gantz, who as IDF main of staff promoted the 1st woman significant basic, recent Economy Minister Orna Barbivai, hailed Tomer-Yerushalmi as a “trailblazer,” who overhauled the lawful position and lawful protections for gals in the military services and fought sexual harassment.
“As protection minister, I am happy to identify her the second woman at the rank of important normal, and I am positive she won’t be the last,” Gantz stated.
Tomer-Yerushalmi will obtain the rank of main general immediately on moving into her position, not like her predecessor Afek who managed the rank of brigadier common for his 1st three yrs in the posture right before becoming promoted to major normal.
When Tomer-Yerushalmi replaces him, Afek will have served as navy advocate normal for around 6 decades, overseeing a quantity of significant profile circumstances, together with the conviction of Brig. Gen. Ofer Buchris for sexual offenses and the Hebron shooter (Elor Azaria) situation, as very well as overseeing investigations into the 2014 Gaza war and the IDF’s responses to the 2018 Gaza border riots.
Tomer-Yerushalmi presently serves as the chief of staff’s adviser on gender challenges, and earlier served in a range of positions in the Navy Advocate Standard Corps and in the armed forces judiciary.
She has dual master’s degrees in law, one particular from Tel Aviv University and a single from the Judge Advocate General’s Lawful Middle and School in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Earlier this calendar year, Kohavi declared plans to maximize the quantity of feminine senior officers by 50{dcfa4b42334872b3517041d7075c48816e8f617446b245cec30e8949517ffd84} within just the upcoming five a long time.
Until finally now, Kohavi had not promoted a women to the rank of big typical, and only one to the rank of brigadier standard — an officer tapped to provide as the main intelligence officer of Central Command.
In accordance to a new Haaretz tally, of the nearly 200 officers promoted to the rank of colonel beneath Kohavi, 19 have been women.
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