Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces
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The head of all branches of the Israeli Defense Forces is the Chief of Staff, who is the only officer to hold the rank of lieutenant general. As of October 2009, the incumbent is Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi.
Many Chiefs of Staff, after retirement, have entered politics, and risen to the highest levels.
| Name | Dates | Previous | Later role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gabi Ashkenazi | 2007 - | ||
| Dan Haloutz | 2005 - 2007 | ||
| Moshe Ya'alon | 2002 - 2005 | Army | |
| Shaul Mofaz | 1998 - 2002 | Army | Israeli Minister of Defense (2002); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transportation and Road Safety (2007) |
| Amnon Lipkin-Shahak | 1995 - 1998 | ||
| Ehud Barak | 1991 - 1995 | Prime Minister of Israel (Labor Party (Israel); Knesset | |
| Dan Shomron | 1987 - 1991 | Senior Infantry and Paratroop Officer | |
| Moshe Levy | 1983 - 1987 | ||
| Rafael Eitan | 1978 - 1983 | Army | Formed Tzomet Party, later merged into Likud; Deputy Prime Minister 1996 |
| Mordechai Gur | 1974 - 1978 | Air Force | |
| David Elazar | 1972 - 1974 | ||
| Chaim Bar-lev | 1968 - 1972 | ||
| Yitzhak Rabin | 1964 - 1968 | Army | Prime Minister (Labor) 1992-1995 (assassinated) |
| Zvi Tzur | 1961 - 1964 | ||
| Haim Laskov | 1958 - 1961 | Air Force | |
| Moshe Dayan | 1953 - 1958 | Army | Minister of Defense, Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| Mordechai Maklef | 1952 - 1953 | ||
| Yigael Yadin | 1949 - 1952 | Army | Second career in archeology; later in Likud government |
| Yacov Dori | 1948 - 1949 |