Yaakov Ganot

Yaakov Ganot was born in 1947 in Romania

Ganot was born in Romania in 1947 as Yaakov Ganot. He immigrated to Israel with his family in 1963. He lived in Haifa, was married and had 2 children.

He joined the Border Police in 1964 and rose to deputy commander of the Jerusalem Border Police. In 1972 he lost an eye trying to rescue an Egoz company commander and his driver on the Lebanese border. In 1980 he moved to the police and held commands in the Northern District, including district commander.

In 1994 he was charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust over benefits from a Nazareth contractor. He was acquitted on grounds of doubt, though Supreme Court justices criticized his conduct. He later headed the police traffic division from 1997, commanded the Border Police in 2001 to 2002 and led the immigration administration in 2002 to 2003.

As prison commissioner from 2003, he oversaw the transfer of security prisons from the IDF and detention centers from the police, and set up the Masada unit. His 2007 appointment as police commissioner drew objections, and he withdrew. He then headed the Population Administration and served as director general of the transport and internal security ministries.

From 2012 to 2021 he led the Israel Airports Authority, including the open skies reform and the renewed Terminal 1. He died on July 3, 2024. The Nafha and Ramon prisons were later named the Ganot Complex after him.