Yair Palai

Yair Palai was born in 1980 in Keshet, Golan Heights

Palai was born in 1980 in Keshet in the Golan Heights, where his parents were among the founders of the moshav. His father, Gilad, was among the prisoners of the Jewish Underground. He studied at the Hispin yeshiva high school and at the Shavei Hevron yeshiva.

He joined the IDF in March 2000 and served in Battalion 51 of the Golani Brigade, later leading units in the Egoz unit. He commanded Battalion 13, the Dekel and Gefen battalions and the Menashe Brigade. In 2022 he took command of the Golani Brigade and led it in Gaza during the Swords of Iron war.

In 2024 he became commander of the Bashan Division as a brigadier general. During his term the Assad regime in Syria fell and the division carried out Operation Bashan Arrow.

He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Bar-Ilan University and a master's degree in national security and strategy from the University of Haifa. He lives in Keshet, is married to Hava, a teacher, and has 6 children.