 Faced with demands of a 20% cut in budget and the discharge of 6,000 IDF members, Yigael Yadin resigned as chief of staff in November 1952, and was replaced by Mordechai Maklef.In December 1952, Dayan was promoted to chief of the Operations (G) Branch, the second most senior General Staff post.One of Dayan's actions in this post was to commence work on the canal diverting water from the River Jordan, September 1953.