Militaryאיסר בארי

Isser Be'eri

Isser Be'eri was the head of the Haganah's Shai intelligence service and the first head of the IDF Intelligence Department, convicted in 1949 of manslaughter over the execution of Meir Tobianski.

1901 to 1958Heading the Shai intelligence serviceFirst head of IDF intelligenceThe Meir Tobianski affair

Born: 30 January 1901, Będzin
Died: 30 January 1958, Israel
Occupation: intelligence agent, military officer, spy
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

Isser Be'eri was born in 1901 in Będzin

Isser Be'eri was born Isser Birenzweig in 1901 in the Russian Empire, in a town now in Poland. His father was Menachem Birenzweig. He finished a high school in Poland.

He moved to the Land of Israel in 1921 and was one of the Six from Bedzin, who founded Migdal. He worked in construction and later managed Israel Military Industries and the Na'aman factory.

In 1948 he became head of Shai, and after it was disbanded he led the new Intelligence Department of the IDF. In June 1948 he ordered the execution of Meir Tobianski after a field court martial, and Tobianski was later cleared.

He left the army in 1949. In November 1949 a court convicted him of manslaughter and gave him a symbolic sentence, and President Chaim Weizmann pardoned him. He later managed factories and died of a heart attack in 1958.

Isser Be'eri's life in 7 milestones

1901
Born Isser Birenzweig in the Russian Empire.
1921
Moved to the Land of Israel.
1938
Joined the Haganah's permanent staff and commanded the Kfar Giladi area.
1944
Became manager of Israel Military Industries.
1948
Appointed head of Shai and then of the IDF Intelligence Department.
1949
Convicted of manslaughter in the Tobianski case and pardoned.
1958
Died of a heart attack.

Isser Be'eri served in the military

He served in the Haganah from 1938 and headed its Shai intelligence service from February 1948. From June 1948 he headed the IDF Intelligence Department with the rank of lieutenant colonel.