Tel Aviv----June 2...... Brigadier General Miri Regev was appointed as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson at a ceremony today in the office of the IDF Chief of Staff.

Colonel Miri Regev, who had served a short term under outgoing Israel Army PR spokesperson Ruth Yaron, worked with the Prime Minister's Office and headed the IDF Censor's Office, was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General as the IDF Spokesperson.

Brigadier General Miri Regev, is replacing Brigadier General Ruth Yaron, who served in this position since July 2002. Brig. Gen. Yaron is due to retire from the IDF. The ceremony was held in the presence of the IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, the General Staff forum and other guests.

Unlike Yaron, who had come from the Foreign Ministry, Regev was promoted from within, having served the IDF spokesperson's office for many years. Yaron almost shot to fame or infamy as she prepared to address the country in a newly built IDF broadcasting studio as Israel braced for Iraq scuds which never took off for Israel during the last Gulf War.

The last IDF spokesperson who showed brilliance during war time was Brigadier General Nachman Shai, who calmed a very traumatized Israel as scuds landed in Ramat Gan during the first war in Iraq. Shai, a true war hero, went on to head the Israel Broadcasting Agency and today serves as the director of United Jewish Communities office in Israel.

Regev will be responsible for all Israel domestic and international media as she supervises IDF spokesperson's offices in the North, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the South of Israel. From Internet and photography to research, strategy, soundbytes and confronting anti-Israel propaganda, the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), the UN and human rights groups, Regev will be on the front line with hundreds of both career and reserve soldiers.

Regev's greatest challenge will not be from the ISM, Hamas, Abbas or PR spokespeople from Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia, but rather from the IDF and the Israel government. Regev will need to build bridges within the IDF so that field officers can relate and respect her office as well as create warm and effective channels with the Israel Prime Minister's Office, the Foreign Ministry, the Government Press Office and the Israel Police.
In addition, members of Knesset and professional journalists will also need to be cultivated.
Regev knows of the internal turf wars and is said to be ready to please many while performing a professional job.

Regev takes over at a time when the IDF is preparing for a major domestic and international media image crisis - the disengagement from Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

"This is truly a sweet victory for both Israel and Regev," said one source which works for the IDF's public relations department.
"Yaron, and her deputy Orly Gal, who is also packing her bags, had fired and alienated some of the best, most professional and creative minds who had served in the Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson's Office. Among them was Regev who now takes Yaron's seat."

The source continued: "Regev was a brilliant choice for a position which requires proactive thinking and knowing where the internal and domestic political land mines lay. She is articulate, intelligent and compassionate unlike Yaron who was camera shy, a dry bureaucrat who remained silent during many media crisis and passed both the buck and the blame. We can expect some rather positive and excellent developments regarding IDF public affairs strategy and new, professional career and reserve personnel entering into the Kirya (the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv.)"

We all wish Miri - batslacha - the best of luck and success in her new and challenging position.
With her professional experience, a sincere, warm heart integrated with her intelligence and acute knowledge of the players in and out of Israel, we know that she will lead the Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson's team to success!

With the super elite Israel Air Force giving us Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz as our new IDF Chief of Staff combined with the charm and brains of Regev, we just might be looking at a "dream team" being born in respected tan and blue uniform.

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