Sixty years after its establishment, the State of Israel is facing threats unlike any before, incoming Israel Air Force Chief Major General Ido Nehushtan on Tuesday said during his inauguration ceremony at Ramat David Air Force base in the Jezreel Valley.
"Israel is situated in a strategically dynamic area full of dangers and threats," he said. "The Iranian regime, for example, combines venomous rhetoric with actions based on an ideology that denies Israel's right to exist."
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ehushtan also mentioned missing IAF navigator Ron Arad and the three kidnapped IDF soldiers, Gilad Shalit, Eldad Regev and Udi Goldwasser, saying he hoped for their speedy return.
In his last post, Nehushtan - who replaced Elyezer Shkedy as air force chief - headed the Israel Defense Forces Planning Directorate, which deals with strategic planning, the building of military forces and military organization. But Nehushtan, 51, started his career in the IAF, climbing up the ranks to senior positions such as commander of the 140th Squadron (as a lieutenant colonel). He was later promoted to the rank of brigadier general and put in charge of the Intelligence Squadron. He went on to commanded the Air Squadron, and the IAF Staff.
The incoming IAF chief also referred to the recent developments in Lebanon, mentioning the "disconcerting amassing of force by Hezbollah and lack of stability in Lebanon." He also touched on the Palestinian issue and terrorism, which he said "ceaselessly targets Israeli citizens."
"The IAF genetic code," he added, "pushes us to excel, initiate, keep an open mind and persist."
The new IAF chief said: "Israelis have no one to count on but themselves. I am confident of our courage and strength to do what we need to do."
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