Gideon Levy, Haaretz, January 21:
The prime and defense ministers are faced with a decision of marginal importance. Contrary to the sea of verbiage and pathos, and the facade of serious discussions, the choice between the various candidates for the important post of Israel Defense Forces chief of staff is not an important matter. Gaby Ashkenazi or Moshe Kaplinsky? Or even Benny Gantz? Can anyone point to any significant difference between them? True, they say that Kaplinsky gives soldiers a pat on the back, unlike Ashkenazi, who reprimands them for nonregulation haircuts. Both of them were trained in Golani, while Gantz came up through the Paratroopers, and there is even a slight age difference. But what does all this mean? Nothing. There is no difference between them.
The choice between the three is no more than a vapid power struggle, and the only questions it will answer is whether the defense minister will succeed in twisting the prime minister’s arm or vice versa, and which of the three has the most effective lobby, and who was photographed first eating hummus on the front page of Yedioth Ahronoth. Except for the personal aspect and the differences in style, it really does not matter who is ultimately selected. Perhaps that is why none of the many commentators or interviewees has dared to take a stand in favor of one of the three. Everyone knows that they are cloned generals, nearly identical.