Militaryיעקב עמידרור

Yaakov Amidror

Yaakov Amidror is a retired Israeli major general who served as head of Israel's National Security Council from 2011 to 2013.

born 1948Heading Israel's National Security CouncilHead of intelligence Research DepartmentCommanding the IDF military colleges

Born: 15 May 1948, Tel Aviv
Occupation: military officer, major general, opinion journalist
Education: Tel Aviv University, University of Haifa
Rank: aluf
Wars: South Lebanon conflict, Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War, 1982 Lebanon War

Yaakov Amidror was born in 1948 in Tel Aviv

Yaakov Amidror was born in Tel Aviv on 15 May 1948, the day after Israel declared independence. His father served in the British Army and was held as a prisoner of war. His mother was an Irgun member who was arrested by the British.

He grew up in Tel Aviv and attended the Zeitlin school. While in the army he earned a bachelor's degree at Tel Aviv University and a master's in political science at the University of Haifa. He is also a graduate of the National Defense College.

He joined the IDF in 1966 as a paratrooper and later moved to Military Intelligence, where he headed the Research Department. He was military secretary to Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai and commanded the military colleges until 2002. He was passed over to head Military Intelligence after a remark about secular Israelis drew criticism.

In 2008 he chaired the committee that set the candidate list of The Jewish Home party. He led the National Security Council from 2011 to 2013, taking part in talks with US officials on Iran's nuclear program. He later joined the Begin-Sadat Center and, in 2017, the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies.

Milestones in Yaakov Amidror's life

1948
Born in Tel Aviv.
1966
Drafted into the IDF and volunteered for the paratroopers.
1969
Moved to the Military Intelligence Directorate.
1996
Became military secretary to the defense minister.
2002
Retired from the IDF.
2008
Chaired the candidate selection committee of The Jewish Home.
2011
Appointed head of the National Security Council.
2017
Became a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies.

Yaakov Amidror served in the military

He served in the Paratroopers Brigade from 1966, fighting in the Six-Day War, then held intelligence posts including in the Yom Kippur War and as head of the Research Department. He retired in 2002 as a major general after commanding the military colleges.