Rassan Alian

Rassan Alian was born in 1972 in Shefa-Amr

Alian comes from a Druze family in Shefa-Amr. As a young man he was a member of the Druze Scouts. He lives in Shefa-Amr with his wife Shirin, and they have 3 children.

He joined the IDF in 1990 as a soldier in Golani's Battalion 51 and held a series of command posts in the brigade. He later served as deputy commander of the Egoz Unit, commander of the Duchifat Battalion and deputy commander of Golani. He commanded the Alexandroni and Menashe brigades.

In 2014 he became commander of the Golani Brigade and led it in Operation Protective Edge, where he was lightly wounded. He then served as Chief Infantry and Paratroopers Officer, Central Command chief of staff and head of the Civil Administration.

In 2021 he was promoted to Aluf and became head of COGAT. After 7 October his statements about Gaza drew criticism, and his unit was at the center of disputes over humanitarian aid. He left the post in February 2026 and is set to become a coordinator in Northern Command for Druze communities in the Middle East.