Col. Netanel Kula Appointed IDF Chief Censor by Defense Minister Katz

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has appointed IDF Colonel Netanel Kula as the next chief military censor, replacing Brigadier General Kobi Mandelblit, who has held the post since June 2022.

Kula, a seasoned intelligence officer with 25 years of service, most recently served as the chief of intelligence for the IDF Central Command. He also has legal experience, having briefly worked with the IDF West Bank Prosecution. Kula is expected to be promoted to the rank of brigadier general as he formally assumes his new role in the coming months.

Mandelblit’s tenure as chief censor spanned a volatile period that included Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas. He navigated delicate tensions between national security concerns and press freedom while managing scrutiny from political and media circles.

Controversy erupted in November 2023 when Haaretz reported that Mandelblit had privately told senior IDF officers he was under political pressure from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials to suppress media reports without sufficient national security justification. According to the report, Netanyahu, alongside National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi and military secretary Avi Gil, sought to tighten censorship protocols a move Mandelblit resisted as lacking legal or security merit.

Col. Kula brings with him a reputation for sharp intelligence and legal acumen. In one case during his prosecution service, he uncovered a covert message being smuggled by a detainee to his lawyer an incident that highlighted both his attention to detail and operational awareness.

The role of chief censor is critical in balancing the public’s right to know with operational security, particularly during wartime. As Israel continues its military operations on multiple fronts, Kula’s experience in intelligence and law positions him to steer this sensitive role during a time of heightened national stakes.

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