Amos Yaron

Amos Yaron was born in 1940 in Holon

Amos Yaron, born Amos Rosenberg, was born in 1940 in Kiryat Avoda in Holon. His mother came to the Land of Israel from Poland, and his father was a builder who served in the Haganah. He belonged to the HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed youth movement and studied for a time at the Kadoorie agricultural school.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Middle East studies and history from Tel Aviv University. He also graduated from the IDF Command and Staff College, the US Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the National Security College.

Yaron joined the IDF through Nahal in 1957 and rose through the paratroopers. He was operations officer of the 55th Brigade in the battle for Jerusalem in 1967, commanded the Nahal paratroop battalion and later the Paratroopers Brigade. In the 1982 Lebanon War he commanded a division that reached Beirut, and after the Kahan Commission he was removed from operational roles.

He headed the Manpower Directorate from 1983 to 1986 and served as military attaché to the United States and Canada from 1986 to 1989. He left the army in 1990. From 1999 to 2005 he was Director General of the Ministry of Defense.

In 2006 he headed the inquiry into the escape of Benny Sela. He also chaired the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company and serves as an external director of Delek Drilling.