Militaryשמואל זכאי
Shmuel Zakai
Shmuel Zakai is an Israeli reserve brigadier general who commanded the Golani Brigade and the Gaza Division, later managed Ben Gurion Airport and became head of the Civil Aviation Authority.
born 1963Commanding the Golani BrigadeDischarge from the IDF in 2004Managing Ben Gurion Airport
- Occupation
- warrior, military officer
- Education
- Tel Aviv University
- Rank
- general
- Wars
- South Lebanon conflict, 1982 Lebanon War
Shmuel Zakai was born in 1963 in Afula
Shmuel Zakai was born in Afula in 1963. His father served in the Air Force, and the family moved between housing on different Air Force bases.
He joined the IDF in 1981 and served in the Shaked battalion, then moved to the Golani Brigade, where he rose to command Battalion 51. He later commanded the Hiram Formation, the Golani Brigade and the Edom Division. In 2004 he took command of the Gaza Division.
In November 2004 he resigned from the Gaza Division after failing a polygraph test in an inquiry into media leaks during Operation Days of Penitence. Chief of staff Moshe Yaalon ordered him out of the army. He studied at the IDF Staff College and holds a humanities degree from Tel Aviv University.
From 2005 he held senior posts at the Israel Airports Authority. He became manager of Ben Gurion Airport in 2014, and in March 2023 transport minister Miri Regev appointed him head of the Civil Aviation Authority. He lives in Tzur Yigal, is married for the second time and has 5 children.
Shmuel Zakai's life in 8 milestones
- 1981
Joined the IDF in the Shaked battalion.
- 1991
Became commander of Golani's Battalion 51.
- 1999
Took command of the Golani Brigade.
- 2004
Took command of the Gaza Division and was removed from the IDF in November.
- 2005
Became head of security at the Israel Airports Authority.
- 2014
Appointed manager of Ben Gurion Airport.
- 2016
Testified for the defense in the Elor Azaria trial.
- 2023
Appointed head of the Civil Aviation Authority.
Shmuel Zakai served in Golani Brigade
Zakai served in the IDF from 1981 to 2004, fighting in the First Lebanon War and commanding the Golani Brigade, the Edom Division and the Gaza Division. He reached the rank of brigadier general.
These 6 people share a field, a unit or a party with Shmuel Zakai
Siman-Tov Ganeh1924 to 1968Medal of Valor recipientMilitary
Tamir Yadaiborn 1969Deputy Chief of the General StaffMilitary
Moshe Kaplinskyborn 1957Deputy Chief of the General StaffMilitary
Rassan Alianborn 1972First Druze commander of GolaniMilitary
Avi Mizrahiborn 1957Commanding the IDF Central CommandMilitary- Yair Navehborn 1957Deputy Chief of the IDF General StaffMilitary
Based on English Wikipedia, Shmuel Zakai and Hebrew Wikipedia, שמואל זכאי, under CC BY-SA 4.0. The facts are Wikidata's.
Photograph: Mark Neyman, CC BY-SA 3.0