Defense Minister Israel Katz decided today (Wednesday) to appoint Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Amir Baram, to the position of Director General of the Ministry of Defense. Baram will assume his position in the coming weeks, after completing his term in the IDF and following orderly turnover procedures with the incoming Deputy Chief of Staff, with the Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Defense, and after completing the appointment process and its approval by the government. Baram (55), served for 37 years in the IDF in a variety of combat and senior command positions, including commander of the Paratrooper Reconnaissance Unit, 890th Battalion, commander of the Maglan Unit, paratrooper brigade, commander of the 98th Division, commander of the 91st Division, and in December 2017 he was promoted to the rank of major general and appointed commander of the Northern Corps, and at the same time was appointed commander of the military colleges. In April 2019, he was appointed commander of the Northern Command. In October 2022, he was appointed deputy chief of staff\ and was responsible for building up the IDF's forces. Baram comes from within the defense establishment and is well acquainted with the procurement processes, weapons, and military industries, and has deep working relationships with his counterparts in the US and will be able to make a decisive contribution to the rapid resupply. Related articles: Defense Minister appoints head of Gaza Emigration Authority '16,000 wounded security personnel since October 7th' 1200 shelters to be installed near northern border 'Our enemies underestimate us, we will stand strong against them' The Defense Ministry noted that he is "experienced in managing large security systems, while interfacing effectively with the relevant civilian systems. In his role as deputy chief of staff, he formulated and centralized the IDF's needs in relation to its force-building plan for the coming decade, and presented the implications to the Minister of Defense, the Ministerial Committee for Equipping, and the Nagel Commission, and will be able to contribute to their implementation." Minister Katz said: "I decided to appoint Amir Baram as Director General of the Ministry of Defense. Amir Baram is an outstanding commander and fighter, who dedicated his life to Israel's security and served in senior and significant positions in the IDF, and brings with him extensive experience in building the IDF's strength, including in matters of procurement, defense industries, budget, infrastructure construction, and international-strategic cooperation with the US and other countries. "I am convinced that in this period, when the defense establishment is facing major challenges, Amir Baram will be able to make a decisive contribution to establishing the IDF's strength and advancing its missions, and enabling the IDF to become a victorious army that dominates the various arenas and maintains the security of the State of Israel," he added. Major General Baram said after his appointment: "I thank Defense Minister Israel Katz for the great trust he placed in me upon my election to the position. I consider the position of Director General of the Ministry of Defense a great privilege and a tremendous obligation to continue security work for the benefit of strengthening the strength of the State of Israel, especially in light of the many challenges in this era. I will continue to act with determination in close cooperation with my partners in the defense establishment in general and the IDF in particular."
