Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Israel’s military, defying efforts by Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, has named its candidate as commander of the Air Force.

Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz named Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel
as the next commander of the Air Force. Officials said the appointment of
Eshel, head of the military’s Planning Directorate, was approved by Defense
Minister Ehud Barak.

Eshel is expected to focus on Israel’s options for an air strike
on Iran’s nuclear facilities. A fluent English speaker, Eshel was said
to be close to the United States and skeptical of Israel’s ability to
destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

“He’ll know how to prepare the forces in the most meticulous and perfect manner, and lay out all the possible scenarios and chances of success,” a senior officer told Israel’s Ynet news agency.

“The chief of staff expressed his appreciation to the other candidates for the post,” a military statement said on Feb. 5.

The statement said Eshel would replace Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan in April. Eshel, 52, served as deputy commander of the Air Force from 2006 until 2008.

Officials said Netanyahu had pressed the chief of staff to appoint the
prime minister’s military secretary, Maj. Gen. Yohanan Locker, as Air Force
chief. Instead, Locker was expected to become Israel’s military attache in
the United States.

  Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Iran nuke facilities tops the agenda of Israel’s new Air Force chief, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel, Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan, Maj. Gen. Yohanan Locker, New Israeli Air Force chief to weigh options for air strike on Iran’s nuke facilities