Scots-born soldier heading up Israel's military comms since outbreak of war steps down

Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hecht has been the international face of the Israeli military since the conflict began on 7 October

The Scotland-born soldier who has been the international spokesman for Israel’s military since the beginning of the war has stepped down from his post.

Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hecht, who left the Glasgow suburb of Newton Mearns for Israel as a child in the 1980s, has been the main face of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) since the 7 October attacks, however, he said that he had "passed the baton" to colleague Nadav Shoshani on Monday.

"Won some lost some - but did my best," he wrote on X. "Was an honour serving my country. Tnx for listening!!!"

Israeli army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht, who has stepped down this week, is originally from Newton Mearns.

He is understood to have been in the role since August 2022, having taken up the position a day before Operation Breaking Dawn, a three-day Israeli military offensive targeting militants in Gaza.

He has earned a reputation for outspoken statements which have sometimes verged on the controversial and irreverent social media posts. He was also behind the press briefing in which foreign journalists were shown graphic footage of Hamas's attack – and the subsequent media visit to a kibbutz targeted by Hamas.

In an interview with UK media shortly after the 7 October Hamas attacks, Mr Hecht said the IDF wanted “all people that came into Israel to be dead”.

Israelis paid tribute to his work on social media.

Yaakov Katz, former editor of the Jerusalem Post, wrote: "Good luck Richard. You are a mensch and professional who faced the greatest media challenge this country has ever known with professionalism and a constant pursuit of excellence, truth and the desire to learn. Best of luck in all your future endeavours.”

"Miss the NM accent,” added one man, Clifford Sim, in reference to Lt-Col Hecht’s Newton Mearns roots.

Lt-Col Hecht posted his resignation announcement alongside a photograph of himself during a TV interview a year ago, where he was standing on a box to raise himself to the same height as the interviewer.

The soldier, who joined the IDF at 18, has had a long career in the IDF: before a brief stint working in business development for an Israeli defence company, spent earlier part of his military career moving between foreign relations posts and combat positions.

Speaking to Jewish News in 2022, Lt-Col Hecht explained why his family left Scotland. He was brought up in a traditional kibbutz, where hildren slept apart from their parents.

"Our parents wanted to make a new start, I think they were tired of the diaspora,” he said. “But it was traumatic: we left a very comfortable lifestyle to live in spartan Israel in the 80s”.

After Kibbutz El-Rom, where the family lived, was privatised, Lt-Col Hecht said his parents left and went to live in Zichron Ya’akov, a small township in Israel’s north. His mother, Valerie, worked in the Golan Heights and Carmel wineries, while his father Albert was an agricultural writer.

He lives in Tel Aviv with his wife, Zohara, a financial planner and their two daughters.