Israel Amir

Israel Amir was born in 1903 in Vilnius

Israel Amir was born Israel Zabludovsky in Vilnius, then part of the Russian Empire, to a Zionist family of 5 children. During World War I he moved with his mother and siblings to Yekaterinoslav. He finished high school at the Hebrew gymnasium in Vilnius and studied 2 years at a technical college.

He moved to the Land of Israel in 1923 and joined the Haganah that year. He settled in Herzliya, organized its defense and set up a secret workshop for hand grenades. In 1937 he became the first director of the military industry, and in 1942 the first commander of the Shai intelligence service.

In 1946 he became commander of the Jerusalem district and the Etzioni Brigade. On 16 May 1948 he was appointed commander of the Air Force, which bought fighter and transport aircraft under him. He handed over command to Aharon Remez on 29 July 1948.

He later headed the armament and then the personnel divisions of the Defense Ministry, working on commemoration of the fallen and care for disabled veterans. He retired in 1969 and became vice president of Magen David Adom. He died on 1 November 2002 and was buried in Herzliya.