Congratulations to @majpeterlerner on receiving his Lt Col rank!He will be replacing me in a few weeks.He will be gr8! twitter.com/AvitalLeibovic…

— Avital Leibovich (@AvitalLeibovich) February 4, 2013

She is being replaced by Maj Peter Lerner who is also an active tweeter. On follow up Avital revealed where she is going next: Head of Interactive Media, namely leading the social networks.

To all tweeps asking-my next position in the #IDF will be Head of Interactive Media,namely leading the social networks.

— Avital Leibovich (@AvitalLeibovich) February 4, 2013

I think this is of HUGE significance. Avital is obviously moving up the ranks not down. The position of head IDF Spokesperson used to be the top: she was the primary face of the IDF for the world’s main stream media. And where is she going now? Twitter and Facebook!

Sick of the ridiculous treatment at the hands of the world’s media, the IDF began a move to getting it’s message out direct first with its own blog and now via every possible social channel. And they’ve had huge success. Often, and especiallay with help from us in the blogosphere to promote and expand, they’ve been able to make the mainstream media look slow, out of touch and down right stupid.

So I think this is a very significant move and, of course, I haven’t seen the main stream media remark on it as yet.