Major General Amir Eshel Appointed Commander of the Israeli Air Force

In a ceremony held today in Tel Aviv’s “Rabin” (Hakirya) Base, Major General Amir Eshel was appointed Commander of the Israeli Air Force. Minister of Defense, Mr. Ehud Barak, the IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Benny Gantz, as well as members of the general staff and their families attended the ceremony.

 Major General Amir Eshel, the new IAF commander

Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel replaced Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan, who has held the position for the past four years and has completed 37 years of military service.

Minister of Defense Barak conveyed his best wishes to Maj. Gen. Eshel, and said: “for the past two generations, the IAF has been Israel’s most critical and decisive component and the keystone of its deterrence capabilities.”

The IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gantz, thanked Maj. Gen. Nehushtan for his service, saying: “we have the best Air Force in the world. The IAF has an immediate, significant and strategic value.”



Maj. Gen. Nehushtan said: “the IAF operates every day, every minute, 365 days a year, across Israel and around the world guarding the State of Israel.”

Nehushtan wished the best to Maj. Gen. Eshel and said that he solely trusts him to stand at the head of the Israeli Air Force.

Maj. Gen. Eshel thanked the Defense Minister and the IDF Chief of the General Staff for trusting him with the position and said: “Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan leaves a strong and capable Air Force designed in his image. We face significant challenges, but are ready for any future task.”

Maj.-Gen. Amir Eshel - Planning for the Unknown - Israel's Ever-Changing Strategic Reality 


Click To View Video

Maj.-Gen. Amir Eshel began his career as a fighter pilot in 1979. He went on to serve in a variety of staff and command positions, including Air Force Chief of Staff and Chief of Air Staff. Maj.-Gen. Eshel assumed his position as Head of the IDF Planning Directorate in 2008. This Jerusalem Issue Brief is based on his presentation to the Institute for Contemporary Affairs of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs on January 17, 2012. He has since been named commander of the Israel Air Force.