Major General Yoram Levy took over as Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, replacing Major General Rasana Alian, who served in this role for the past five years. The handover ceremony took place today (Wednesday) at the “Gideonim” base, presided over by the Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Aviv Kochavi, and attended by additional commanders and families.
“Rasana, when you were tasked with the important mission in Gideon’s chariots ‘B’ to prepare the civilian infrastructure for the evacuation of over a million people from Gaza City to allow the fighting forces freedom of operation, I told you it would be either a commendation or a reprimand – a commendation if you succeed and a reprimand if you don’t,” began the Minister of Defense, Israel Katz. “At the end of the operation, with the great achievement of releasing all the hostages and the IDF remaining in most of Gaza, you deserve a great commendation for your contribution and assistance to the political echelon, the IDF command, and the heroic IDF soldiers.”
“As you have proven throughout your decades of service as a commander and a fighter in the IDF,” he continued, “your life’s mission is the security of the State of Israel and its citizens, and you have proven this well in the past five years as well. Yoram, you will not have easy days as you enter this role. You are entering a role during one of the most complex and sensitive periods the State of Israel has known – with an emphasis on the challenges that await us in the Gaza Strip, in Syria, in Judea and Samaria, and in other arenas.”
“The Chief of Staff and I saw you as someone suitable to successfully lead this mission – while uncompromisingly upholding the interests of the State of Israel,” he added. “Even in this ceremony, it is important for me to emphasize in the clearest way possible: After we have achieved one of the war’s objectives – the return of all our hostages – we are determined to complete the remaining two objectives, to the end: dismantling Hamas’s weaponry and the complete demilitarization of Gaza, with the destruction of all terror tunnels – down to the last tunnel and all terror infrastructure. If Hamas does not dismantle itself according to the agreed framework – we will dismantle it and all its capabilities.”
“The war that broke out due to the failure of October 7th has further highlighted the importance of the unit and the complexities it is required to operate within,” said the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Aviv Kochavi. “Alongside an uncompromising and determined war against terror, the unit is required to provide a humanitarian, civilian, and economic response to the Palestinian population living in the area. Concurrently with a determined fight against terror, strengthening security and Jewish settlement, we are required to ensure the maintenance of law and order, and the prevention of crime of any kind, including nationalistic crime.”
“Rasana, you have commanded the COGAT unit for five years,” the Chief of Staff continued. “During this time, you led the unit through the most difficult and challenging period it has known – you made complex decisions, stood firm under immense pressure, and demonstrated courage – both in the actions taken on the battlefield and at the decision-making table. Your experience and deep familiarity with the Palestinian arena and the actors operating within it, both local and international, were essential during this time.”
“Yoram, you have been a fighter your entire life, serving the state for many years – both in the IDF and in the Israel Police,” he stated. “You are taking on great responsibility today. We are in a period of shaping a new security reality in the Gaza Strip and strengthening stability in Judea and Samaria. I am convinced that your rich experience will greatly contribute to the COGAT unit and the General Staff Forum.”
“Five years ago, I proudly accepted the command of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories unit with a sense of mission and heavy responsibility,” said the outgoing Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Major General Rasana Alian. “Today, I stand here at the end of my term with mixed emotions. Alongside the joy for the path and for what I was privileged to lead, contribute, and act, I feel immense pain and embarrassment as an officer and commander for the systemic failure on October 7th. The memory of all the fallen who sacrificed their lives for the defense of the homeland – will continue to accompany me forever, wherever I go.”
“David Ben-Gurion aptly stated that ‘Israel’s fate depends on two things: its strength and its righteousness’,” he declared. “From its inception, the State of Israel has been required to possess clear and deterrent power, and at the same time to wield it responsibly, alongside promoting further actions, based on a deep understanding of the regional, political, and international context in which it operates. The role of COGAT lies at the heart of this tension. It is a space rife with tensions where judgment and responsible action are required, even within a complex and sensitive reality, based on the understanding that the state’s security and strength are also intertwined with complex and sensitive civilian actions that do not always receive acclaim or glory.”
“It has been a privilege for me over the years to command a unique, professional, complex organization with extensive influence on shaping the reality in Judea and Samaria, the Gaza Strip, and in the past year, also in southern Syria.”
“Dear Yoram, you are receiving a strong, experienced unit, with excellent people and significant challenges ahead,” he announced. “I am confident that you will bring your professional and personal experience to the role and will continue to lead COGAT to new heights. Faith in the righteousness of the path, commitment to the state, and willingness to pay a personal price – these have accompanied me in every role, and even more so in the past five years. I have done everything in my power to successfully fulfill my mission for the security of the state and to bear the heavy responsibility placed upon me.”
“I am concluding my term today but pledge that I will continue to act, as long as I am able, for the security of the people and the State of Israel. I call from this podium to uproot all racist and divisive discourse, especially against IDF soldiers. Such discourse threatens our social fabric, our unity, and our national resilience. The IDF is living proof that it is possible to do otherwise. Our strength is in our unity. The State of Israel will remain strong only if it knows how to maintain partnership, mutual respect, and mutual responsibility.”
“In recent months, I have learned about the unit,” shared the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Major General Yoram Levy. “Its missions, its people, its strengths. And most importantly, I have learned that COGAT has a real ability to assist in realizing the potential inherent in this period – and that a heavy responsibility rests on its shoulders to ensure that this happens! At the current juncture, we must not act out of habit. It is our duty to examine and challenge our working assumptions. To identify points of failure. To propose alternatives. To know how to change and be changed – before. Not just after.”
“Rasana – thank you for three and a half decades you have dedicated to your life as a fighter and commander,” he said. “Your devotion to the unit, and your life experience – were evident in every conversation we had in recent months. For four decades of my life, I have served the State of Israel. For a decade, I held various positions in the senior command. I experienced firsthand the pain of war and its costs. And from all of this, I come here determined. Clear. Decisive. To precisely carry out my mission for the security of Israel.”
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