In a ceremony held at the Prime Minister Office in Jerusalem, Gadi Eizenkot was sworn as Israel’s 21st IDF Chief of Staff, replacing Benny Gantz.

Eizenkot was born in 1960. He joined the Golani Brigade upon his enlistment, and participated in all of Israel’s wars and operations in the last 35 years, including both Lebanese wars, both Intifadas and all recent operations in the Gaza Strip.

Eizenkot held a number sof prominent roles within the IDF including Commander of the Northern Command, Commander of the Golani Brigade, Commander of the Judea and Samaria Division and Military Secretary to the Prime Minister.

In his speech, Eizenkot stated that “the Middle East is in the midst of a challenging period. Changes the region is going through have left it almost unrecognizable. The Middle East is now characterized by volatility and instability. Now, more than ever, we must act in a decisive, sophisticated and responsible manner… Only a strong and decisive IDF will fulfill its calling, to deter our enemies, remove the threat of war, defend Israel and win armed conflicts.”

Eizenkot thanked Benny Gantz for his 38 years of military service. “Benny, throughout your years in the IDF, Israel’s security has always guided your actions. You were always responsible and had a strong sense of believe that our way is just… Thank you for the way you commanded the IDF.”

Eizenkot finished his speech with a personal commitment. “I pledge to carry on fulfilling the vision the founders of the state of Israel had. I will carry the torch of security which constitutes the foundation for the strengthening and existence of the state of Israel.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu congratulated Eizenkot, “you are entering the role of Chief of General Staff with all the experience and knowledge a great military leader should have.” Netanyahu then addressed Eizenkot, “I promise that you won’t have one day of grace, not even one… for in the Middle East there is no mercy for the weak, only the strong survive.”

“I have no doubt the responsibility, tenacity and experience that characterize you, will serve us and you, when confronting the great challenges that lay before us. The people of Israel trust you, the Israeli government trusts you, and Gadi, I trust you,” Netanyahu concluded.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) with outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz (C) and incoming IDF chief of staff Gadi Eizenkot prior to a ceremony held in Einzekot’s honour at the PM’s office in Jerusalem, on February 16, 2015.

Gadi Eizenkot officially took over the command of the IDF Monday morning, replacing Benny Gantz in a routine rotation.

Lt. Gen. Eizenkot is a new image for the Israel, one of modesty that is rare in recent years among IDF generals who often are politicians more than they are military officers in their race to please the political echelon and the United States in order to climb the ladder of positions of power.

Eizenkot was a natural candidate to command the IDF several years ago, but he declined.

He is modest, but he also is tough, and as the Jewish Press reported here in November, he is different from other military commanders and is not afraid to speak his mind, even if his thoughts are not politically correct.

He took over the Northern Command after his predecessor quit in 2006 after suffering sharp criticism of his conduct in the 34-day Second Lebanon War that summer, a war which was arguably one of the most embarrassing for Israel in terms of the military’s lack of preparation, poor intelligence, logistic fiascos and loss of life.

Concerning Hezbollah, Eizenkot has said he backs a policy to show “no mercy shown when it comes to hitting the national infrastructure of a state that, in practice, is controlled by terrorist organization Hezbollah.”

On the other hand, Eizenkot is not considered trigger-happy and will not send soldiers into war unless diplomacy does not work, Yediot Acharonot observed when he was nominated for the new post late last year.

But when the army has to hit, it will do it the way it should.

Gantz said in his farewell speech Monday, “You have behind you a professional army, trained, flexible, and prepared for all tasks. Gadi,…take the army in the direction you choose….Praised is the people for whom you command their armed forces. Praised are those who answer “follow me” in carrying out commands.

Eizenkot, 54, lives in Herzliya, next to Tel Aviv. He is married and has five children.

Unnamed Israeli officials have confirmed that Syrian rebels have asked the Netanyahu government to bomb Hezbollah and Iranian positions, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Israel seems to be doing a job of doing so all by itself, but the rebels want the IDF to take a more active role. Israel never has admitted or denied several pre-emptive aerial bombings of weapons and Hezbollah positions.

The Observatory said that Assad, Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards have launched an offense to counter rebel attacks near Damascus.

“Regime troops and their Hezbollah-led allies are advancing in the area linking Deraa, Quneitra and Damascus provinces,” the Syrian Observatory said.

Rebels have lost most of northern and eastern Syria to the Islamic State and the Al Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front. Hezbollah has taken over most of western Syria, bordering Lebanon.

That leaves the south as the rebels’ last stronghold.

“The rebels in the south comprise a diverse array of fighters,” analyst Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi of the Middle East Forum told Voice of America.

The Navy and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) intercepted a boat last January that was on its way to Gaza with materials for manufacturing rockets and mortar shells, according to military spokesmen after a gag order on the counter-terrorist operation was lifted on Wednesday.

The vessel was being used to smuggle liquid fiberglass for building weapons to be launched on Israel. The boat was sailing from off the Sinai Peninsula to a Gaza port. Israel has placed a maritime embargo on Hamas-controlled Gaza to prevent the smuggling of weapons and materials for weapons.

Security officials arrested three Arabs who confessed to planning to smuggle the liquid fiberglass for Hamas.

The three suspects were identified as Machmed Bechar, Ahmed Zaidi and Awad Zaidi.

​They gave investigators detailed information on previous weapon smuggling activities and told them how Hamas intended to utilize fisherman and smugglers for future smuggling attempts.

That explains why the Navy often fires on those supposedly innocent “fishing boats” that foreign media report were manned by poor Gaza Arabs who can’t make a decent living fishing because the big bad Israeli Navy thinks fishermen are enemies.

They are enemies because they are not fishermen. They are terrorists.

The gag order on the operation was lifted when the men were indicted in a Be’er Sheva court today for involvement in crimes endangering the security of the country.

“The IDF is determined to prevent unlawful attempts to ship weapons and raw materials that may jeopardize the well being of Israelis,” said Lt. Colonel Peter Lerner, IDF Spokesman. “This shipment highlights that when Hamas chose to smuggle materials for rockets and mortars, it chose not to invest in the rehabilitation for the people of Gaza.”​​

At least four hareidi-religious men were arrested Sunday in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea Shearim during a demonstration protesting the arrest of a rabbinical student last week. The student refused to comply with his draft notice to enlist in the IDF.

Several hundred demonstrations gathered at the Kikar Shabbat intersection in the neighborhood at about 3 pm. The protest soon escalated, with demonstrators blocking traffic and hurling rocks at police officers who were sent to the scene.

Israel Border Guard police officers were called in to back up Jerusalem District police officers. Extra patrol units have since been deployed to the neighborhood.

A female IDF officer was injured by a landmine explosion on the Golan Heights on Wednesday.

The officer was working near the Syrian border.

The IDF believes that the explosive may have shifted from its original location due to rain over time.