Militaryיוסי בידץ

Yossi Baidatz

Yossi Baidatz is an Israeli major general in the reserves who headed the IDF Intelligence Research Division and later commanded the National Security College.

born 1961Heading IDF Intelligence Research DivisionCommanding the National Security CollegeLeading the Center for Educational Technology

Occupation: military officer, educator
Education: Tel Aviv University
Rank: aluf
Wars: South Lebanon conflict, 1982 Lebanon War

Yossi Baidatz was born in 1961 in Israel

Yossi Baidatz was born in Yavne'el in 1961 to Dikla (née Globman) and Colonel Uri Baidatz. He grew up in the paratroopers' housing quarter in Ramat Gan. His older brother Shlomo, a team commander in Sayeret Matkal, was killed in the Yom Kippur War.

He earned a bachelor's degree in biology and agriculture from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an MBA from Tel Aviv University. He also completed the Wexler Foundation program for senior public officials at Harvard University.

After a year of service he joined the IDF and volunteered for Sayeret Matkal, then moved to intelligence for health reasons. He headed the Intelligence Research Division from 2006 to 2011. In December 2011 he became a major general and commander of the National Security College and the military colleges, retiring in August 2015.

He was a research fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in 2000 to 2001 and at the Brookings Institution in 2016. In August 2018 he became director general of the Center for Educational Technology. In 2025 he was appointed to an expert team reviewing the IDF inquiries into October 7.

He is a cousin of the writer Michal Govrin. He is married with 3 children.

Yossi Baidatz's life in 8 milestones

1961
Born in Yavne'el.
2000
Became a research fellow at the Washington Institute.
2006
Appointed head of the Intelligence Research Division.
2011
Promoted to major general and named National Security College commander.
2015
Retired from the IDF.
2016
Research fellow at the Brookings Institution.
2018
Became director general of the Center for Educational Technology.
2025
Joined the expert team reviewing October 7 inquiries.

Yossi Baidatz served in Sayeret Matkal

He served in Sayeret Matkal and then in Military Intelligence, including as Northern Command intelligence officer until 2006 and head of the Research Division from 2006 to 2011. He reached the rank of major general and commanded the National Security College until 2015.

Sayeret Matkal