Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today (Thursday) informed Defense Minister Yisrael Katz and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir of his decision to appoint Brigadier General Guy Marchisano as his military secretary.
As part of the new appointment, Brigadier General Marchisano will be promoted to the rank of Major General.
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He will replace Major General Roman Goffman, who was appointed by the Prime Minister to the position of head of the Mossad - and took office this week.
Brigadier General Marchisano brings to the position a rich command background and diverse operational experience throughout his years of service in the IDF. He previously served as commander of the 405th Battalion and as commander of an artillery company, and later commanded the 209th Fire Brigade and the 215th Fire Brigade.
Later in his military career, he served as head of the planning department in the ground force and as head of the Northern Command headquarters.
In his last position in the defense establishment, he served as the military secretary to Defense Minister Yisrael Katz - an experience that will allow him to quickly begin his work in the Prime Minister's Office.
The Prime Minister's Office emphasized that "Brigadier General Marchisano has acquired extensive experience in coordinating between the political and military echelons, and therefore will be able to assume his position immediately without the need for a prolonged period of overlap between the officers.".
Doron Kadosh, the military correspondent for Galei Tzahal, wrote: "The message to IDF officers is clear - loyalty to the political echelon pays off: The military secretary to the Prime Minister, Goffman, built a close relationship of trust with Netanyahu, and was appointed head of the Mossad after Netanyahu fought for his appointment.
""The military secretary to the Minister of Defense, Katz Marchisano, built a relationship of trust with the minister, even though he was close to his predecessor, Gallant, and the minister fought for his promotion to major general, completely against the wishes of the Chief of Staff.".
""Zamir, who believed that Marchisano was unworthy of being a general and refused to appoint him as IDF attaché in Washington, was now forced to accept him as a general as military secretary to the prime minister. Marchisano's loyalty paid off.".
""This is the message that is now being conveyed to all other IDF officers. Loyalty pays off.".
It should be noted that the prevailing assessment in the establishment was that Netanyahu would appoint Brigadier General Barak Hiram, who was the Chief of Staff's preferred candidate, to the position.
Now, with the appointment of Marchisano, Hiram is expected to take on the role of head of the Operations Division, as was determined last year - and in place of Brigadier General Israel Schumer, who was dismissed.
In addition, Zamir and Katz will now be required to appoint a new military secretary to the Minister of Defense, following Marchisano's retirement from the bureau.
Minister of Defense Israel Katz"For the past year and a half, I have had the privilege of working alongside Brigadier General Guy Marchisano, shoulder to shoulder, for long hours, in complex moments and the greatest security challenges the State of Israel has ever known. I got to know up close an extraordinary officer and commander, a true professional, with composure, discretion and the ability to make the right decisions even under the heaviest pressures.".
I welcome Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to appoint him as his military secretary and his expected promotion to the rank of major general.
Beyond being an excellent commander, Guy is a man of values, honest, and dedicated to the State of Israel in every aspect of his life. He brings with him a rare combination of rich operational experience, quiet leadership, and the ability to always see the good of the country and the security of its citizens before his eyes.
I am happy and proud of his selection. I believe in Guy, trust him wholeheartedly, and am certain that he is the right man at the right time. I have no doubt that he will fulfill his new role with distinction, as he has done in all his roles to date, and will contribute his experience and abilities to Israel's security and decision-making at the highest levels.
"Good luck, Guy. I'm sure you have many more achievements in store for the State of Israel.".
