Appointed IDF Deputy Chief of Staff in 2002, Ashkenazi was considered the most moderate member of the Israeli General Staff during the Al-Aqsa Intifada, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. When Israel began to construct a West Bank barrier in order to physically separate Israeli and Palestinian communities with the purpose of preventing terrorist attacks within Israel, Ashkenazi was placed in charge of the project.
Appointed IDF Deputy Chief of Staff in 2002, Ashkenazi was seen as the most moderate figure among the Israeli General Staff during the Al-Aqsa Intifada, according to Haaretz. When Israel initiated a barrier construction project in the West Bank to separate communities and prevent attacks, Ashkenazi was assigned to lead this endeavor.