Yehuda Vach

Yehuda Vach was born in 1979 in Kiryat Arba

Yehuda Vach was born in 1979 in Kiryat Arba, the son of Shalom and Liat Vach. He later moved to Eli. He studied at a yeshiva in Mitzpe Ramon and then at the Bnei David pre-military academy in Eli.

He holds a bachelor's degree in education from Moreshet Yaakov College and a master's degree in national security from the University of Haifa.

He joined the IDF in 1998 and volunteered for the Maglan unit, where he became a team and company commander. He later commanded the Shaked and Gefen battalions, served as deputy commander of the Givati Brigade, and led the Shualei Marom Brigade, the Hiram Division and the officers' school Bahad 1. He was reprimanded after weapons were stolen from bases under his command in 2017, and his promotion was delayed after a second theft in 2020.

In August 2024 he took command of the 252nd Division in Gaza, which operated in the Netzarim corridor and destroyed the buildings there. Soldiers and officers accused him of orders that led to civilian deaths, and in March 2025 his forces destroyed the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital on his order. In 2019 he published an article arguing that fences give a false sense of security.

In July 2026 he was appointed head of the Doctrine and Training Division. He lives in Meirav with his wife Osnat and their 6 children, and he is a musician.