Defense Minister Israel Katz appoints Itai Ofir as MAG, vowing to rebuild IDF justice after unprecedented purge of corrupt leadership.
In a bold and defiant message to critics from within his own camp, Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday defended his decision to appoint attorney Itai Ofir as the new Military Advocate General (MAG) — a move he said would “restore order, integrity, and accountability” to the IDF’s once-tainted legal system.
Writing to Likud activists, Katz declared that the era of politicized prosecutions against IDF soldiers was over.
“I dismissed the former MAG, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, and brought about her arrest — a precedent-setting action no one before me dared to take,” Katz wrote. “It exposed the collapse of a system that falsely accused our soldiers while shielding itself from scrutiny. Ofir will rebuild trust, defend our troops, and bring justice back to the IDF.”
Ofir, a religious Zionist from Samaria with a strong reputation inside the Defense Ministry, previously served as its chief legal advisor, where he reportedly backed Judea and Samaria settlement initiatives and upheld the authority of elected officials over entrenched bureaucrats.
Katz stressed that Ofir’s appointment has won the backing of key right-wing ministers including Bezalel Smotrich and Orit Strock, describing him as “an excellent candidate, deeply rooted in Zionist values and national responsibility.”
Addressing critics who highlighted Ofir’s participation in a Wexner Foundation training program — an organization viewed skeptically by the Israeli right — Katz dismissed the controversy outright.
“The course was a brief, five-week program mandated by the Civil Service Commission,” he clarified. “It has absolutely no influence on his worldview. The moment I took office, I ordered an end to sending any Defense Ministry personnel to that foundation.”
Katz ended his message with a rallying call to Likud members:
“We must unite behind Itai Ofir. The battle to clean and rebuild the IDF’s legal system will be tough — but with faith and unity, we will win.”
Political observers say Katz’s move signals a historic realignment of the IDF’s judicial corps, one that places national loyalty and soldier protection above bureaucratic entrenchment, echoing his broader vision to reassert civilian control over military law.
In the eyes of many Israelis, Katz’s appointment of Ofir is not just an administrative decision — it is a declaration of ideological independence, setting the stage for a stronger, prouder, and more sovereign Israel.
