Politicsעמי אילון

Ami Ayalon

Ami Ayalon is an Israeli former naval commander, head of the Shin Bet from 1996 to 2000, and Labor Party politician who served as a minister.

born 1945Heading the Shin BetCommanding the Israeli NavyThe 1969 Green Island raidThe People's Voice peace initiative

Born: 27 June 1945, Tiberias
Occupation: politician, military officer, peace activist, spy
Party: Israeli Labor Party
Education: John F. Kennedy School of Government, Bar-Ilan University
Rank: aluf
Wars: Six-Day War, War of Attrition, Yom Kippur War, 1982 Lebanon War
Founded: The People's Voice

Ami Ayalon was born in 1945 in Tiberias

Ami Ayalon was born in Tiberias in 1945 and grew up on kibbutz Ma'agan. His parents came from Transylvania in Romania. His father Yitzhak was one of the founders of Ma'agan.

He earned a bachelor's degree from Bar-Ilan University in 1980. In 1992 he completed a master's in public administration at Harvard. In 2010 he received a master's in law from Bar-Ilan University.

Ayalon served his whole military career in the Navy, starting in Shayetet 13 in 1963. He commanded the unit from 1979 and led the Navy from 1992 as a major general. After the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, he was appointed head of the Shin Bet and retired in 2000.

In 2003 he launched The People's Voice with Sari Nusseibeh, an initiative for a two-state solution. He entered the Knesset for Labor in 2006 and lost the 2007 party leadership runoff to Ehud Barak. He served as minister without portfolio and lost his seat in the 2009 elections.

In 2012 he appeared in the documentary The Gatekeepers. He is married with 3 children and lives in Kerem Maharal.

Ami Ayalon's life in 10 milestones

1945
Born in Tiberias.
1963
Enlisted and volunteered for Shayetet 13.
1969
Wounded in the raid on Green Island and later received the Medal of Valor.
1979
Appointed commander of Shayetet 13.
1992
Appointed commander of the Israeli Navy.
1996
Became head of the Shin Bet.
2003
Launched The People's Voice with Sari Nusseibeh.
2006
Elected to the Knesset for the Labor Party.
2007
Appointed minister without portfolio.
2009
Lost his Knesset seat.

Ami Ayalon held 2 offices between 2006 and 2009

1945today

Knesset member 2006 to 2009
Minister without portfolio 2007 to 2008

Ami Ayalon served in Shayetet 13

Ayalon served in the Navy from 1963, fought in the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War, and received the Medal of Valor for the 1969 Green Island raid. He commanded Shayetet 13 from 1979 and the Navy from 1992 as a major general.

Shayetet 13