National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir approved the appointment of Commissioner Hatem Azzam as the Israel Prison Service's new deputy chief commissioner on Sunday.
IPS Chief Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi recommended Azzam, an Israeli-Druze officer, to serve as his deputy.
Azzam was promoted to the rank of commissioner in July 2024 upon assuming the role of head of IPS's Technology and Logistics Division.
At the time, he was congratulated by the Israeli-Druze spiritual leader, Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, for achieving the second-highest rank in the IPS.
While in this role, Azzam's leadership "led to a significant advancement in these areas in the Israel Prison Service," the IPS stated.
Azzam's role to include force building, readiness for threats, prison governance
As IPS Deputy Chief Commissioner, Azzam will be "responsible for building the force, and working to ensure IPS's readiness for threats from security prisoners, as well as prison governance in all IPS facilities," a government statement clarified.
This will include "an emphasis on the risks inherent to prison officers since the Israel-Hamas war began," the statement added.