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Zvi Zamir

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Zvi Zamir
צבי זמיר‎
Zamir in 1960
Born
Zvicka Zarzevsky

(1925-03-03)3 March 1925
Łódź, Poland
Died2 January 2024(2024-01-02) (aged 98)
Tel Aviv, Israel
NationalityIsraeli
OccupationDirector of Mossad
Espionage activity
Allegiance State of Israel
Service branch
Service years
  • Palmach: 1942–1948
  • IDF: 1948–1968
  • Mossad: 1968–1974
RankMajor general
The ceremonial parade opening the Sixth Battalion Day at Camp Israel, 1948. Center: Zvi Zamir (the battalion commander), right: Yaakov Hefetz (adjutant), left: Yitzhak Yaakov (operations officer)
Brigadier General Zvi Zamir, c. 2004

Zvi (Zvika) Zamir (Hebrew: צבי זמיר; born Zvicka Zarzevsky; 3 March 1925[1] – 2 January 2024[2]) was a senior figure in the Israeli defense establishment and an Israeli businessman. He served as Commander of the Southern Command from 1962–1965 and as Head of the Mossad from 1968–1974. He was also the CEO of Oil Refineries Ltd. from 1976–1990.

Early life

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Zamir was born in Łódź, Poland. His parents were Shmuel Moshe Zarzhevsky, a textile industrialist, and Sarah. Due to an economic crisis in Poland, the family immigrated to Eretz Yisrael when Zamir was nine months old, and he grew up as a native-born Israeli. The family lived in Tel Aviv, and Zamir, following his brother David, attended the boys' school "Ahad Ha'am"[3]. His older sister, Tzipora, attended the girls' school "Talpiot." His father worked as a wagon driver for the Israel Electric Corporation, transporting electric poles from Tel Aviv to Petah Tikva with his two horses. His mother opened a popular workers' restaurant near the electric company. After moving from Ahad Ha'am Street to Balfour Street, Zamir formed friendships with the "Playground Gang." Later, he enlisted with them in the Palmach.

Military career

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The Palmach

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In 1942, Zamir joined the Palmach and served in Company D. In 1944, he participated in the platoon commanders' course with Uzi Narkiss and Chaim Bar-Lev[4]. Following the course, he was appointed a platoon commander at Ayelet HaShahar in Company T. In 1946, he was arrested by the British police during a Palmach operation involving Aliyah Bet from Syria, and he was detained at the Latrun detention camp for ten months. After his release, he returned to the Palmach, becoming deputy commander and instructor of the Second Battalion. At the start of the War of Independence, he established the Palmach Sixth Battalion, responsible for securing convoys to Jerusalem, and served as its commander[5]. Eighteen soldiers from the battalion, along with seventeen soldiers from the Hish, formed the Lamed Heh Convoy, whose fighters fell while defending Gush Etzion[6]. Zamir led the Navi Daniel Convoy to Gush Etzion and, when the convoy was attacked on its return to Jerusalem, he instructed all capable drivers to return to Gush Etzion, accompanying them while leaving command of the convoy to one of the platoon commanders. Under his leadership, the battalion fought in Operation Danny, Operation Ha-Har, and Operation Horev.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

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In 1949, Zamir was appointed as one of the first instructors in the IDF's Battalion Commanders' Course. Following his participation, against orders, in the Palmach Conference, he received a severe reprimand from the IDF Chief of Staff, Yaakov Dori[7]. A year later, he was promoted to instructor in an advanced course for senior officers. Between 1951 and 1953, he commanded the Givati Brigade. In 1953, he went to England to attend the Staff College in Camberley. Upon his return in 1954, he was appointed commander of the IDF Infantry School. In 1956, he joined the General Staff as a senior commander in the training branch and, during Operation Kadesh, commanded the Carmeli Brigade. In 1957, he took a study leave, studying geography and Middle Eastern history and earning a bachelor's degree in humanities at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1960, he was appointed head of the IDF Training Department in the General Staff[8], and in October 1961, he was promoted to the rank of Major General[9]. Between 1962 and 1965, he served as Commander of the Southern Command[10], a period marked by infiltrations for theft and smuggling[11]. Upon completing his term, he was sent in July 1966 to the United Kingdom and Scandinavia as the Israeli Defense Attaché and head of the Ministry of Defense Mission[12], a position he held until 1968. During the Six-Day War, he was involved in securing arms and equipment for the IDF.[citation needed]

"The Mossad"

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On 1 September 1968, Zamir replaced Meir Amit as the head of "Mossad" and served in this role until 1 September 1974[13]. Key events the Mossad was involved in during his tenure include:

Yom Kippur War and aftermath

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In the year leading up to the Yom Kippur War, Zamir believed there was a possibility of war initiated by Egypt, contrary to the IDF Intelligence's (Aman) assessment. On 4–5 October 1973, Ashraf Marwan, a senior Mossad source, provided Zamir with information regarding the imminent attack. Zamir met with Marwan in London, where Marwan explicitly warned that war would start on Yom Kippur. This intelligence led to Zamir's urgent warning to the Prime Minister and military leadership[16].

Throughout the war, Zamir's influence grew among decision-makers, while Aman’s standing declined[17]. Zamir served in the military echelon of the war cabinet formed by Golda Meir, actively participating in daily meetings until the war ended. He later accused Aman Chief Eli Zeira of intelligence failure, leading to a significant investigation[18].

Civilian career

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In late 1974, Zamir became Chairman of Solel Boneh[19]. He managed Solel Boneh until January 1976, when he resigned due to internal conflicts[20]. From 1976–1990, he served as CEO of Oil Refineries Ltd.[21].

Later activities

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Zamir was a member of several public bodies, including the Press Council[22]. In 1990, he headed the "Zamir Committee" investigating events on the Temple Mount.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ J. Ben Hirsh, "Brigadier Zvi Zamir," Jewish General Officers: A Biographical Dictionary, vol. 1, East Bentleigh, Melbourne: Victorian Branch, Military Historical Society of Australia, 1967, p. 45.
  2. ^ Ofer Aderet, "Zvi Zamir, Mossad Chief During the Yom Kippur War, Dies at 98," Haaretz, 2 January 2024.
  3. ^ Tikva Weinstock, "Ahad Ha'am - 50 Years," Maariv, 19 March 1964, p. 49.
  4. ^ Davar, "Uzi Narkiss Promoted to Major General," 7 July 1967, p. 189.
  5. ^ Davar, "Zvi Zamir Promoted to Major General," 30 October 1961, pp. 10, 25.
  6. ^ Zamir, Zvi & Mas, Efrat. Eyes Wide Open: The Mossad Chief Warns: Is Israel Listening?, Kinneret Zmora-Bitan Dvir, 2011, pp. 38–40.
  7. ^ Legal Protocol, IDF & Defense Ministry Archives
  8. ^ Maariv, "Tasks of Breakthrough and Defense in Combined Exercises," 24 April 1960, p. 95.
  9. ^ Maariv, "Zvi Zamir Promoted to Major General," 29 October 1961, p. 4.
  10. ^ Uri Dan, "Major General Zamir - Commander of the Southern Command," Maariv, 7 May 1962, p. 3.
  11. ^ Uri Dan, "Arik and the Egyptians," Maariv, 26 December 1969, p. 192.
  12. ^ Davar, "Major General Zvi Zamir Appointed Israeli Defense Attaché to the UK and Scandinavia," 26 June 1966, p. 26.
  13. ^ Davar, "Change of Mossad Leadership," 2 September 1974, p. 17.
  14. ^ Davar, "Major General Zvi Zamir Visits Barzani," 19 September 1972, p. 6.
  15. ^ Zamir, Zvi & Mas, Efrat. Eyes Wide Open: The Mossad Chief Warns: Is Israel Listening?, Kinneret Zmora-Bitan Dvir, 2011, pp. 86–89.
  16. ^ Yaron Druckman, "Revealing the Telegram: Mossad Chief Warns of Yom Kippur War," Ynet, 17 September 2018.
  17. ^ Uri Bar-Joseph, Surprise Attack: Leadership and Intelligence in the Test, Kinneret Zmora-Bitan Dvir, 2019, pp. 347–350.
  18. ^ Haaretz, "Zamir Blames Zeira for Intelligence Failure," 23 September 2004.
  19. ^ Davar, "Z. Zamir Nominated as Solel Boneh Chairman," 4 December 1974, p. 4.
  20. ^ Davar, "Zamir Criticizes Economic Governance," 19 January 1976, p. 33.
  21. ^ Globes, "Yair Rotem Appointed Head of the Israeli Petroleum Institute, Replacing Zvi Zamir," 16 February 2000.
  22. ^ Davar, "Public Figures Appointed to Press Council," 17 July 1977, p. 70.

Further reading

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  • "Preventive measures" Zamir interview in 2006.
  • One Day in September, (1999), a documentary by Kevin Macdonald.
  • Raviv, Dan and Melman, Yossi. Every Spy a Prince: The Complete History of Israel's Intelligence Community. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1990. ISBN 0-395-47102-8 p. 179
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