Militaryישראל טל

Israel Tal

Israel Tal, known as Talik, was an IDF major general who shaped Israel's armored doctrine and led the development of the Merkava tank.

1924 to 2010Developing the Merkava tankShaping IDF armored doctrineDivision 84 in the Six-Day War

Born: 13 September 1924, Mahanayim
Died: 8 September 2010, Rehovot
Occupation: military personnel, military officer, major general
Rank: major general
Wars: World War II, 1948 Palestine war, Suez Crisis, Six-Day War
Founded: 1973)

Israel Tal was born in 1924 in Mahanayim

Tal was born in Mahanayim. His mother's family descended from Hasidim who settled in Safed and Tiberias in 1777. He survived the 1929 riots in Safed, and his family then moved to Be'er Tuvia.

In 1942 he volunteered for the British Army and served in Egypt and later with the Jewish Brigade in Italy. He then joined the Haganah and served as a heavy weapons officer in the War of Independence. In the Sinai War he took command of Brigade 10.

After that war he moved to the armored corps and commanded Brigade 7 from 1959. He studied philosophy and political science at the Hebrew University. In 1964 he became commander of the armored corps and focused on long range tank gunnery.

In the Six-Day War he commanded Division 84, which broke through at Rafah and reached the Suez Canal. From 1970 he led the team that developed the Merkava tank. He also served as deputy chief of staff.

He received the Israel Prize in 1997. He died in Rehovot in 2010.

Milestones in Israel Tal's life

1924
Born in Mahanayim.
1942
Volunteered for the British Army.
1959
Appointed commander of Brigade 7.
1961
Received the Israel Security Prize.
1964
Became commander of the armored corps.
1965
Promoted to major general.
1970
Began leading the Merkava tank project.
1973
Received the Israel Security Prize a second time.
1997
Awarded the Israel Prize.
2010
Died in Rehovot.

Israel Tal served in the military

Tal served in the British Army and the Haganah, then in the IDF, where he commanded Brigade 7, the armored corps and Division 84 in the Six-Day War. He reached the rank of major general and commanded the southern front late in the Yom Kippur War.