IDF Chief offered Daniel Hagari different roles, but no promotion. He refused.

A quiet storm is brewing at the top of Israel’s military hierarchy. Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, the IDF’s articulate and embattled spokesperson, sought a promotion to major general from Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir—only to be offered roles that would keep him at his current rank. The refusal, followed by Hagari’s decision to step down and leave the IDF, lays bare a rift that speaks volumes about ambition, loyalty, and a changing of the guard within the General Staff.

The saga unfolded in a recent meeting between Zamir, who assumed command last Wednesday, and Hagari, a fixture in the IDF’s public face since the October 7, 2023, crisis. Hagari, nearing 49, made his case clear: after stints as head of the Navy’s Operations Branch and IDF spokesperson, he saw his next step as a major general’s role. Zamir, however, envisioned a different path—another brigadier general position, possibly head of the Strategic Division or commander of the Command and Staff College (PUM). To ease the transition, Zamir asked Hagari to stay on for a month or two, aiding the new chief’s entry and the search for a successor. Hagari’s response? A resolute no, culminating in Friday’s announcement that he’ll exit “in the coming weeks” and retire from the IDF.

Hagari’s trajectory once seemed unstoppable. Under former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, he was a prime candidate for major general, his name even floated to Defense Minister Israel Katz. But Katz, wary of October 7’s unresolved inquiries, froze all senior appointments, stalling Hagari’s ascent. Criticism from the minister’s office didn’t help—security sources accused Hagari of overstepping twice by critiquing political leadership, a charge that dented his standing. Halevi’s exit and Zamir’s arrival shifted the landscape further. Where Halevi sidelined Golani veterans like Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai and Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, Zamir brought them back to the forefront, signaling a new vision for the General Staff—one that left Hagari on the periphery.

Sources close to Zamir paint a picture of contrast. Other brigadier generals met the new chief with deference, saying, “We’ll respect any decision you make.” Hagari, by contrast, pressed for clarity on his future, seeking a firm path to major general. Zamir, while praising Hagari’s service, offered no such promise—only future possibilities like prestigious brigadier roles. “He could compete for major general later,” the sources said, “but not now.” The impasse grew palpable, with Hagari pushing to publicize his departure despite Zamir’s plea to avoid it, fearing damage to the IDF’s cohesion. On Friday, two days into Zamir’s tenure, the announcement dropped: Hagari’s tenure ends soon, and with it, his military career.

A New Chief’s Stamp

Zamir hit the ground running, appointing Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor as Southern Command chief and Brig. Gen. Itzik Cohen as head of the Operations Directorate within days of taking the 14th-floor office. Military sources suggest these moves heightened tensions with Hagari, as younger officers—like Maj. Gen. Dan Goldfuss, who led the 98th Division in combat—leapfrogged him to major general. Yet the IDF pushes back on direct comparisons: Goldfuss and Cohen, still commanding the 162nd Division, boast extensive field records, while Hagari’s path has been more administrative and public-facing. “It’s not apples to apples,” a source insisted.

The friction peaked in their final talks. Hagari demanded certainty; Zamir offered patience. When no clear answers came, the spokesperson opted for the exit, a move sources say he initiated—not Zamir. The chief, they add, hadn’t even lined up a replacement, underscoring the unplanned nature of the split. As of now, Hagari’s departure date hinges on finding a new spokesperson, a process yet to begin in earnest.

A Political Tempest Brews

In the past 24 hours, IDF voices have scrambled to douse the media blaze, insisting Hagari’s exit is his choice, not a dismissal. The flare-up has taken on political hues—some see it as fallout from his clashes with Katz’s office, others as a sign of Zamir’s assertive reshaping of the brass. “The chief operates with full autonomy, despite the headlines,” a source close to Zamir affirmed, hinting at a deliberate effort to project control amid the upheaval.

For Hagari, whose steady voice guided Israel through the October 7 aftermath, this marks a poignant end. Once a favored son of Halevi’s era, he now steps away, his ambition unmet, as Zamir carves a new course. The IDF, meanwhile, braces for a transition that’s as much about identity as it is about rank—a shift felt from the General Staff’s chambers to the public’s restless gaze.

Walla contributed to this article.