General Yoav Galant, the army's commander for southern Israel, has been chosen as chief of staff and Barak will submit his name for cabinet approval next week, the defence ministry said.

The general, whose command covered the Gaza Strip, oversaw the devastating December 2008-January 2009 war in Gaza that cost the lives of 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.

Israel's "war of the generals" has been a top local story, after a document lobbying for Galant's appointment and smearing his rivals, purportedly prepared by a PR firm hired by Galant, was leaked to a television channel.

Ashkenazi, whose term runs out in February, has said no member of the general staff was involved and Israeli police found that the document was a fake.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Barak's decision, saying it would restore stability to the army's upper ranks. "The situation demands a swift decision because uncertainty carries a high price," he said.

Other leading candidates for the military's top job were General Benny Gantz, Ashkenazi's deputy, and Major General Gadi Eizenkot who heads the army's northern command.

Galant was born in November 1958 in the mixed Arab-Jewish neighbourhood of Jaffa, which now forms part of Tel Aviv.

He joined the navy's Flotilla 13 commando unit, rising through the ranks to become its commander from 1994-1997. The unit carried out the May 31 raid on an aid ship bound for Gaza in which nine Turkish activists were killed.

In 2005, Galant was appointed to head Israel's southern command.

He is married with three children and holds a degree in business and financial management.

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