The change of command between military chiefs is traditionally a festive day for the Israel Defense Forces, but new IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot is likely to keep his serious demeanor throughout the day, not only because of his natural shyness, but because of the missions that lie ahead. The myriad issues in need of his attention will leave him with very little time, if any, to celebrate. Behind closed doors, outgoing Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz used to say that when he assumed command of the military, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was still in power, Syrian President Bashar Assad had an iron grip on his country, Libya and Yemen's regimes were intact, and Islamic State was a marginal group whose existence was known to only intelligence analysts. Much of Gantz's term was spent dealing with the regional changes and focusing on the efforts to prevent Israel from being dragged into the fray, which have proved successful. His term also saw the Israel mount two military campaigns in the Gaza Strip -- Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012 and Operation Protective Edge in 2014 -- and spare no effort to avoid another campaign in Lebanon. Eizenkot has inherited this equation, which is made up of mostly unknown factors. There are the obvious elements, such as the disintegration of nations, the rise of radical Sunni Islam, and the expansion of the fundamentalist Shiite axis; and the seemingly fixed variables, such as the future of the Egyptian and Jordanian regimes, with all this may entail for the peace treaties they have with Israel, and the future of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. These already complex situations are compounded by the disconcerting erosion in international support for Israel, which will eventually translate into undermining the IDF's right to fight Israel's enemies, as well as what has become a precarious relationship between Jerusalem and Washington, which may affect security officials' working relations. These, mind you, are the lesser issues Eizenkot has to deal with. The real uphill battle lies in the social-economic sector: The past few years have seen continuous cuts in defense spending, and the IDF is no longer seen as the people's army, not only as far as the declining numbers of those serving in its ranks, but also in the way society has come to treat the defense establishment, which is now criticized as rich and spoiled. Israel wants maximum security at minimal expense, and it is up to Eizenkot to burst that bubble. He would be wise to do so before the next military campaign in southern or northern Israel, because the alternative is an under-trained, under-equipped, irrelevant military, which no longer comprises the best of the best. Gantz knew this and opted to make his demands behind closed doors while remaining utterly professional in public. Luckily for us, both Gaza campaigns involved relatively limited warfare. More serious fighting, which could be seen in a third Lebanon war, will uncover painful flaws in the military. To prevent such a situation, Eizenkot must raise havoc immediately, starting with his very first statement as chief of staff. As the individual responsible for the military, he has the right to access whatever means necessary to succeed, be it a multi-year plan, manpower, weapons, or funds. He will repay this with security, and if he is wise, with transparency as well -- having a Finance Ministry comptroller assigned to the Chief of Staff's Office would see Eizenkot turn a bitter enemy into a good friend. Only time will tell what kind of commander in chief Eizenkot will be. Some, like Shaul Mofaz, exceeded expectations, while others, like Dan Halutz, grossly under-performed. Eizenkot is seasoned enough to succeed and he knows he only has a short window of opportunity to effect change, and that whatever does not get done immediately, will not get done at all. Many will demand that he expand the ground forces, but I believe he should continue to streamline the army, making it more efficient while investing in the IDF's two strategic branches -- the Air Force and Military Intelligence. If there is one thing that will surely still grace the Chief of Staff's Office even after the name on the door changes on Monday, it is the integrity of the man in office. Gantz was an open, honest, direct military commander, free of any political interests, and Eizenkot is the same. His true test will be to remain steadfast in his opinions in every forum and with every individual. This has been Eizenkot's way thus far, but as of Monday he no longer has anyone to look up to. As of now, he is the commander in chief, Israel's No. 1 soldier, and the man entrusted with our security.
