Israel's former army chief Gabi Ashkenazi appointed as country's foreign minister

Israel’s Blue and White alliance on May 13 reportedly said that the former Israeli army chief Gabi Ashkenazi will be nominated as the country’s next foreign minister. According to an international media outlet, Ashkenazi has spent nearly four decades in the military. He also held talks with the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jerusalem ahead of his appointment as minister of foreign affairs this coming Thursday, said Blue and While alliance. 

The Blue and White alliance is led by the incoming alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz. A unity government agreed between Gantz and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also due to be sworn in on May 14. While the swearing-in ceremony was planned to be held earlier this week, however, due to the one-day visit of Pompeo, the ceremony was delayed. However, the upcoming ceremony on Thursday will be ending more than a year of political deadlock in the country. 

READ: Mike Pompeo Praises Israel Over COVID-19 Cooperation, Calls Netanyahu 'great Partner'

READ: Despite Virus, Pompeo In Israel To Talk West Bank Annexation

Former army chief: Gabi Ashkenazi

As per reports, the foreign affairs was a key profile secured by Blue and White coalition talks with Netanyahu’s Likud party, along with the defence ministry which will be led by Gantz. Speaking of the foreign ministry, the nominated Ashkenazi joined Israel’s army in 1972 and fought in the Yom Kippur war a year later. According to the media report, the former army chief also took part in Operation Entebbe, which was an Israeli commando raid to rescue hostages from a plane that had hijacked by Palestinian and German militants and delivered to Uganda’s main airport. 

Furthermore, Ashkenazi also went on to take part in or lead a series of high profile and some controversial operations. As per reports, Turkey also put Ashkenazi and three other Israeli militaries on trial in absentia in 2012 over the deadly 2010 storming of a Turkish ship that had been bound for Gaza. Moreover, he was also the army chief during Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza in 2008-2009. Back in 2011, Ashkenazi was also appointed chairman of Shemen oil and Gas explorations Ltd, which is an Israeli company engaged in hydrocarbon exploration. 

(Image: @Obs_IL/Twitter) 

READ: Israeli Police Arrest Over 300 At Mass Gathering At Shrine

READ: Israeli Army: Soldier Killed By Rock During West Bank Raid