Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz decided on Monday to promote a Golani Infantry Brigade officer who has recovered from serious wounds he received during Operation Cast Lead in 2008-9. Lt. Col. Oren Cohen was critically wounded when an Israeli tank erroneously fired two shells into a building housing the Golani Brigade command. Then Golani Brigade Commander Col. Avi Peled was also wounded, and three soldiers -- Maj. Dagan Wertman, Sgt. Nitai Shtern and Cpl. Yosef Moadi -- were killed. Gantz also chose to make significant changes to the Israel Navy's upper echelon. He created separate posts for head of the maritime operations division and for Navy chief of staff. The two roles had been merged by former Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi three years ago, but newly appointed Navy chief Vice Admiral Ram Rotberg recommended they be redivided. The Naval Chief of Staff is Brig. Gen. Yaron Levy, and Gantz appointed Col. Oded Gur Lavi to the rank of brigadier-general and as head of the maritime operations division. Gantz also made a slew of other appointments, including naming the new commander of the communications training base, Col. Nitzan Amar. All appointments are subject to the approval of Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
Cohen, who was commander of the brigades Battalion 13 at the time, had a long and grueling recovery from his wounds, and was then appointed commander of the reconnaissance battalion. He will now be promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel, and will command the Hermon Brigade in northern Israel. The promotion was decided during a round of high-level appointments on Monday.
Officer hurt in Cast Lead scales to the top of Hermon Brigade
Lt. Col. Oren Cohen was critically wounded during a friendly-fire incident in which an Israeli tank erroneously fired on a Golani Brigade command • After a lengthy recovery, Cohen is being promoted to commander.
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