Avner Shur

Avner Shur was born in 1953

Avner Shur was born in 1953 at Kibbutz Shoval, where he grew up. His father, Haim Shur, was a coordinator of Hashomer Hatzair, secretary of the Kibbutz Artzi movement, and editor of the papers Al HaMishmar and New Outlook.

Shur enlisted in February 1971 and volunteered for Sayeret Matkal, joining a team led by Itamar Sela. His teammates included Avi Dichter, Omri Padan and Uri Tabenkin. He served in the unit for three and a half years and fought in the Yom Kippur War on the northern and southern fronts. His brother Avida, a deputy commander in the paratroopers reconnaissance unit, was killed in Operation Spring of Youth.

After his service he joined the Shin Bet and worked as a security guard at the Israeli embassy in London. In the reserves he served in the Shaldag unit and took part in the First Lebanon War.

His first book, Itamar's Team, describes his time in the unit and won the Yitzhak Sadeh Prize for military literature. His second book, Crossing Borders, tells how Sayeret Matkal was founded and the story of its first commander, Brigadier General Avraham Arnan.