Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has named former general Yoav Galant as defence minister in his upcoming cabinet, a spokesperson for his Likud party said on Wednesday.
Galant, a member of the right-wing Likud, was given the key portfolio a day before Netanyahu's cabinet is expected to be sworn in before parliament.
A former commander of the southern region of Israel, Galant has also served in several ministerial posts in Netanyahu's previous cabinets.
Following his 1 November election win, veteran hawk Netanyahu secured a mandate to form a government backed by ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and an extreme-right bloc.
His incoming far-right government has sparked fears of a military escalation in the West Bank amid the worst violence in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory for nearly 20 years.
Israeli forces have repeatedly killed Palestinians in raids in the West Bank.