Israel Ziv

Israel Ziv was born in 1957 in Jerusalem

Israel Ziv was born in 1957 in Jerusalem under the name Israel Zilberstein. He grew up in the Katamon neighborhood.

He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Bar-Ilan University and a master's degree in political science from the University of Haifa. He also graduated from the National Security College and an executive management course at Harvard.

He was drafted in 1975, joined the paratroopers and took part in Operation Litani. In the 1982 Lebanon War he led the paratroopers' reconnaissance unit, and in 1993 he became commander of the Paratroopers Brigade. He later commanded the Gaza Division during the Second Intifada.

In 2003 he was promoted to major general and named head of the Operations Directorate. He was among the planners of the disengagement plan and was replaced in 2005. He advised a division commander in the Second Lebanon War and then left the army.

In 2006 he founded Global CST, a security consulting and training company. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned him in 2018 over alleged arms sales to South Sudan and lifted the sanctions in 2020. In the 2023 Gaza war he joined the fighting, then organized civilian defense squads.