Brigadier General Daniel Hagari has assumed his position as the new IDF spokesman, replacing Lt. Col. Ran Kochav at an exchange ceremony held at Camp Aviv. Hagari has a rich past as an officer and a fighter in the Navy, and has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in diplomacy and security from Tel Aviv University. He is married and a father of four children. During the ceremony, Hagari emphasized that the task of the IDF spokesman is to strengthen public trust in the IDF and international legitimacy. He also emphasized the importance of being credible and relevant, not only in front of Israeli media, but also foreign media. Outgoing spokesman Brigadier General Ran Kochav stated that trust is the purpose of their work and without the public’s trust in the IDF, they will not be able to fulfill their mission.
New IDF spokesman: At the exchange ceremony held today (Wednesday), at Camp Aviv, led by the head of the Operations Division and with the participation of members of the General Staff Forum, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari assumed his position as IDF spokesman. The ceremony was attended by the commanders of the IDF spokesman formation, the family members and other invitees. Lt. Col. Daniel Hagari replaces Lt. Col. Ran Kochav (Rancho), who held the position for the past two years.
IDF spokesman exchange ceremony:
Hagari, who had a rich past as an officer and fighter in the Navy, was in the past the commander of the 13th Fleet, the head of the Navy fleet and assistant to the chief of staff. Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Hagari has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Tel Aviv University and a master’s degree in diplomacy and security from Tel Aviv University. Hagari is married and the father of four children. At the exchange ceremony, Hagari said: “The task of the IDF spokesman is to strengthen public trust in the IDF and international legitimacy.”
Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, IDF spokesman Photo: IDF spokesman
“An IDF spokesperson is required to be credible and relevant,” said Hagari, “not only in front of the Israeli media but also in front of the foreign media. We must report reliably to the public and the world, especially in difficult events – that’s the only way we will continue to gain trust. I assume that anyone who is appointed to be the spokesman for the IDF is certain that he is taking office during one of the most turbulent and sensitive periods of the army. In this sense, I am probably no different from anyone else: the times are turbulent, the strength of the IDF as the people’s army rests on the public’s trust, and the IDF spokesman “has a central role in this.”
Ran Kochav, outgoing IDF spokesman Photo: Flash90
“The last few days provided us with an important boost: we met our goal”
The outgoing IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Ran Kochav said in his speech: “Without the public’s trust in the IDF – the People’s Army, we will not be able to fulfill our mission. Trust is the purpose of our work. The annual reports published on this subject only recently and also the last few days provided us with an important reinforcement: we met the goal.”