Israeli man gets high-profile calls after inheriting ex-IDF chief’s number

An Israeli businessman has said he received calls and messages from senior Israeli and foreign military officials after he was assigned the former phone number of Israel’s military chief of staff.

It is not entirely clear how Lt Gen Gadi Eisenkot’s number was passed on to a private citizen.

A report by Israeli Army Radio identified the man who received the number only as Yossi.

He said that if the device had “got in the hands of another citizen I don’t know what would happen”.

The report said military phone numbers are often reassigned for security reasons.

It added that the military returned the number to the mobile provider about a year ago. The provider said the number was not classified and was reassigned to another customer.