IDF generals 370.
(photo credit: IDF Spokesman))
Maj.-Gen. Sami Turgeman officially became the head of the IDF Southern Command
on Thursday, replacing Maj.-Gen. Tal Russo at army headquarters in Tel
Aviv.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon praised Russo for his 35 years of
service in the military, adding that his management of the recent Operation
Pillar of Defense set an example “on how the correct use of force leads in the
end to a cease-fire which is better than all the others – even if it is not
absolute, as we’ve seen in recent days.”
Ya’alon told Turgeman that he
was taking over at a time when Gaza remained unstable and was set to continue
being hostile to Israel.
Meanwhile, IDF Central Command chief Maj.-Gen.
Nitzan Alon appointed Brig.-Gen.
Tamir Yadai head of the Judea and
Samaria Brigade on Thursday. Yadai is replacing Brig.- Gen. Hagai Mordechai, who
served in the position for a year and a half.
Alon said Mordechai had
served with professionalism, modesty and determination, adding that he had led
the division to achieve its objective of defending the Israeli
people.
“The threats developing on the ground and the influence of the
outside environment add to the mission,” Alon said.