Avi Bluth
Abraham Ahron Bluth | |
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 Avi Blut, July 2018 | |
| Native name | אַבְרָהָם (אָבִי) אַהֲרֹן בְּלוּט |
| Nickname(s) | Avi |
| Born | Israel |
| Allegiance |  Israel |
| Service |  Israel Defense Forces |
| Years of service | 1993– |
| Rank |  Aluf (Major general) |
| Commands |
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| Battles / wars | |
Abraham (Avi) Ahron Bluth (Hebrew: אַבְרָהָם (אָבִי) אַהֲרֹן בְּלוּט; born 1974) is an Israeli Major general (Aluf), who currently heads the Central Command.
Previously he commanded the 101st Paratrooper battalion, 89th Commando Brigade, the Judea Regional Brigade and the Judea and Samaria Division.
Biography and military service
[edit]Bluth was born in Jerusalem to Efraim and Shoshana.[1] He lived in the West Bank settlement of Neve Tzuf. He was drafted into the IDF in 1993. He volunteered as a paratrooper in the Paratroopers Brigade, and in 1995 became an infantry officer after completing Officer Candidate School. Bluth served as a platoon leader at the 890 paratroop battalion and fought in South Lebanon. Later on he commanded the 101st "Peten" paratrooper battalion during Operation Cast Lead in which he was injured.[1] Afterwards he commanded Maglan Unit.[2] His next position was as the commander of the Judea Regional Brigade. Later on he commanded a reserve Paratroopers Brigade. In 2017, he was appointed as the commander of the 89th Commando Brigade and in 2018 he was chosen to be the next Military Secretary to the Prime Minister.[3][1] While serving as the Military Secretary to the Prime Minister, he was reprimanded by the Chief of the General Staff, Gadi Eisenkot on January 4, 2019, for not delivering on time the Prime Minister's directive to delay the evacuation of Amona.[4] In 2021, he was appointed as the commander of the Judea and Samaria Division.[5]
He occupied the office during the crackdown against a wave of terror attacks which began in March 2022. During the crackdown and the effort to neutralize militant terror cells aroung the West Bank, codename Operation Wave Breaker, the number of battalions under Bluth comman more than doubled, from 11 in time he took office to 27 by July 2023. Bluth also commanded the division during Israel–Hamas war with its spillover to the West Bank.
On June 20, 2024, Bluth was promoted to the rank of Aluf (major general),[6] and on July 8, 2024, he was appointed as the commander of the Central Command (Israel).[7]
Awards and decorations
[edit]Avi Bluth was awarded three campaign ribbons for his service during three conflicts.
| Second Lebanon War | South Lebanon Security Zone | Operation Protective Edge |
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Personal life
[edit]Bluth is married and has 6 children, he resides with his family in the Moshav Nehusha.[1] He has a bachelor's degree in philosophy, economics and political science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a master's degree in strategic thinking from the United States Army War College in Pennsylvania.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "אל"מ וקוץ בו: הכירו את המזכיר הצבאי החדש של נתניהו". Makor Rishon (in Hebrew). July 17, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ^ Finkel, Gal Perl (August 9, 2018). "Don't throw out the baby with the bath water". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ Ahronheim, Anna (July 17, 2018). "Netanyahu appoints Col. Avi Blot as new military secretary". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "פינוי עמונה: הערה פיקודית למזכיר הצבאי". Israel Hayom. January 4, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ^ "תא״ל אבי בלוט ימונה למפקד אוגדת יהודה ושומרון". Arutz Sheva (in Hebrew). July 6, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ^ "מפקד פקמ"ז הנכנס הועלה לדרגת אלוף". www.idf.il. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "מפקד חדש לפיקוד המרכז". www.idf.il. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
Heads of Central Command | ||
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