IDF Chief Bluth not dismissed, Defense Minister Katz confirms at meeting with West Bank leaders

Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Monday that IDF Central Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth has not been dismissed and is performing well, addressing previous speculation. This clarification occurred during a meeting at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv with West Bank local authority heads. The meeting focused on combating Palestinian terrorism and strengthening West Bank communities. Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have recognized 104 new communities and 160 agricultural farms in the West Bank, and returned IDF forces to the region's north. West Bank leaders praised Katz for canceling administrative detention orders against settlers, attributing an "80% drop in terrorist incidents" to this policy. Both parties emphasized the strategic importance of West Bank communities for Israel.