Yair Naveh

Yair Naveh was born in 1957 in Gedera

Naveh was born on 5 September 1957 and grew up in Bnei Brak under the name Yair Manheim. He studied at the Netiv Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem and was active in the Ezra and Bnei Akiva youth movements.

He earned a bachelor's degree in history and political science and a master's degree in political science and Middle Eastern studies, both at the University of Haifa.

Naveh joined the Golani Brigade in 1975 and rose from company commander to brigade commander. He later led the Gaza Division, Home Front Command and Central Command, where he was the first command chief to wear a kippah. As Central Command chief he was involved in carrying out the 2005 disengagement plan in northern Samaria and the demolition of houses in Amona.

He left the IDF in 2007 and became a vice president at Azorim. In 2008 he became CEO of CityPass, the company building the first Jerusalem Light Rail line. That year a Haaretz report claimed he had approved a targeted killing against court guidelines, which he denied, and the Attorney General rejected its conclusions.

In 2010 he returned to the IDF as Deputy Chief of Staff and served until January 2013. He lives in Zikhron Ya'akov.