Moshe dayan
Moshe Dayan (Hebrew: משה דיין) (Degania Álef, Ottoman Empire, May 20, 1915- Tel Aviv, Israel, October 16, 1981) was an Israeli politician and soldier. He fought in World War II; he was Commander of the Jerusalem front in the Israeli War of Independence (1948); Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the Suez Crisis (1956); and mainly served as Minister of Defense during the overwhelming Israeli victory in the Six Day Wars (1967) and Yom Kippur (1973), with a new military triumph for Israel and subsequent political benefits for Israel and Egypt (1979).
He also held the position of Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Foreign Affairs during the governments of David Ben-Gurion and Menachem Begin, respectively.
Hailed as a military strategist extraordinaire, his crucial role in the Six-Day War cemented his image as an "infallible soldier", an image that was reinforced by his performance in previous conflicts and his solid military career, participating in a total of five wars and directing two of them.
Biography
Early Years
Moshe Dayan, one of the three sons of Shmuel and Dvora Dayan, Ukrainian Jewish immigrants from Zhashkiv, (then Tsarist Russia) was born on May 20, 1915 at Kibbutz Degania Alef, near Kinneret in what was then Valiato of Beirut, under the control of the Ottoman Empire. Kibbutz Degania Alef, was the first kibbutz established by Jews in the Land of Israel, founded in 1909 by ten men and two women led by Joseph Baratz.
Moshe was the second child born in Degania, after Gideon Baratz. He was named Moshe (Moses) after Moshe Barsky, the first kibbutz member to be killed by a Arab., a non-militaristic raid associated with a hate crime, which is considered the first Islamist terrorist attack. In 1921, the Dayan family moved to Nahalal—the first moshav created in Israel—where Moshe graduated from the elementary school and the comprehensive agricultural school there. After graduating from school, he joined a group of farm workers known as the 'Samaria Group'.
Military career
From the age of fourteen, he participated in missions related to maintaining the security of the moshav, in which he came into contact with members of the Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah, which grouped Jewish farmers after the Arab riots of 1929. Another wave of Arab insurrections began in 1936, for which reason the British Mandate authorities authorized the creation of the Jewish Settlement Police (Hebrew: משטרת היישובים העבריים, Mishteret HaYishuvim HaIvriyim). It included members of the Haganah, then called "Rangers". Dayan, who received military training in the British Army that same year, enlisted in the Settlement Police. In December 1937, he attended a platoon commanders course conducted by Yitzhak Sadeh, in which one of the participants was Igal Allon.
In 1938-1939 he was a member of the elite Fosh force (Hebrew: פו"ש, acronym for Plugot Sadeh (Hebrew: פלוגות השדה), "Land Units") led by Sadeh, and the Special Night Squads (SNS) led by Orde Wingate. During this period he learned the basics of offensive combat tactics, which came in handy and led to performed throughout his military career.
Due to the Haganah's active role in receiving Jewish immigrants illegally into the protectorate, the British government outlawed the organization. Dayan, by then a sergeant, was arrested and jailed on October 5, 1939, along with 42 other Jewish policemen for illegal possession of weapons. A British court sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment, which he began serving in Akko Prison.However, with the outbreak of World War II, the British Army began to need the support of the Jewish community in the mandate. On February 22, 1940, they were transferred from Akko prison to the Mizraa detention camp north of Akko, which was open space and conditions were better. In this context, the leadership of the Jewish community and the British authorities agreed on cooperation between the Jewish underground and the British army, agreeing to the release of the 43 prisoners on February 17, 1941, including Dayan.
World War II
After being released from prison, Dayán, along with many of his companions, joined the allied forces in World War II. The situation in the Middle East was dangerous. In Iraq, the pro-Nazi uprising of Rashid Ali al-Gailani against the British Mandate of Mesopotamia began; in the Libyan Desert, the Axis armies were advancing on Egypt and the British Mandate of Palestine; and in the Republic of Syria and French Lebanon, which were under the French Mandate of Syria, they commanded the Vichy French army, of the cooperative regime of Marshal Pétain.
Under these circumstances, Yitzhak Sadeh and others began to organize with the Haganah raiding companies—the Palmaj—that would assist British reconnaissance operations and small engagements. Dayan was appointed commander of the Palmaj Beth Squad (Hebrew: פְּלוּגָה פל' ב) by Yitzhak Sadeh, while that Igal Alón would be from the Palmaj Alef Squad (Hebrew: פְּלוּגָה פל' א).
In June 1941 Dayan joined the Australian 7th Infantry Division during Operation Exporter, in actions against the Vichy French responding army in Syria and Lebanon, preventing bridges over the Litani River were blown up, allowing the British forces to continue their advance to Beirut. During this operation, Dayán suffered a hit in the binoculars of a French sniper, losing his left eye and suffering such physical damage that he would be forced to wear his characteristic patch. For his participation in this operation, Dayán was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, one of the highest British military decorations.
After recovering from his injuries, Dayan returned to Moshav Nahalal where he participated in various activities within the framework of the Haganah organization and the Jewish Agency. Another of his moves was to command a network of secret broadcasting stations deployed throughout the territory of the mandate, in support of the British in their fight against the Germans and their allies in the Middle East. After the end of World War II, in 1945 he moved to Tel Aviv, and in December 1946 he was to Basel, Switzerland, to serve as a delegate to the XXII Zionist Congress. During these years (1939-1945) Dayan's three sons were born: the eldest, Yael, Ehud (Udi) and Assaf (Assi). In February 1947 he was called upon by Yaakov Dori, who was then the Commander-in-Chief of the Israel Defense Forces, to serve as "Advising Officer on Arab Affairs". It was clear to all the world that the War of Independence was imminent.
Israeli War of Independence
In April 1948, following the Battle of Ramat Yohanan, Jewish forces defeated the Druze "Jabal al-Arab" battalion, allied to the Arab Liberation Army, in the Zvulon Valley. Said combat, Dayán participated in secret conversations with the Druze commanders, in order to make a "blood pact", thanks to which it was possible to start the Jewish-Druze collaboration, reaching a non-aggression agreement with the Druze for the entire War of Independence. These talks were extremely difficult for Dayan, since his younger brother, Sorik, fell in that combat. The talks finally concluded with a commitment to mutual cooperation.
As soon as the War of Independence began, Dayan, with the rank of Rav Seren (רב סרן; equivalent to major) was sent to the kibbutz where he was born, Degania Alef. He participated in the Battle of the Kinarot Valley, stopping the advance of the Syrian troops.
In June 1948, the United Nations declared a one-month truce, from June 11 to July 9. During the truce he traveled to the United States to attend the funeral of General David Marcus, a Jewish American officer who had volunteered to help the IDF in the war against the Arabs, died accidentally. Colonel Marcus had commanded the fight against the Arab Legion in the Jerusalem mountains. Burial was at West Point, the military academy where he had received his officer training. Moshé Dayán and Yossi Harel are designated to accompany the coffin to its final resting place. On the way back to Israel, he accepts an important mission, but not exactly a military one. He transports to Israel suitcases filled with the first State of Israel banknotes to be printed in the United States.
89th Battalion
Upon his return, Dayan took command of the 89th Armored Brigade during the Ten Days battles from the 8th Armored Division commanded by Yitzhak Sadeh. The mission of this battalion is to carry out deep raids into enemy territory. Dayán himself chooses his men who come from four origins: comrades from Nahalal and other villages of Emeq Yizreel; Lehi members dissolved after the proclamation of the State of Israel and the formation of the Israel Defense Forces; veterans of the Tel Aviv Haganah operations units made available after the capture of Jafo; and Diaspora Jewish volunteers who came to support their brothers in war. The battalion is equipped with Jeeps armed with machine guns and tracks, purchased in the United States from junk dealers.
Operation Danny
During the truce, the IDF was significantly strengthened, significant amounts of weaponry arrived in Israel, including tanks, guns, and fighter jets. Dayán was prepared to start Operation Danny, one of the main operations of the army in the War of Independence, which was carried out between July 10 and 18, 1948. The operation was considered a great success after the capture of Lod and Ramla, since the forces of the Arab Legion were stationed in these populations, near the Jewish heart, Tel Aviv. In the midst of the battle, on July 11, Dayan led a daring incursion with a company of Jeeps, after which he controlled the situation in Lod. Following these clashes, the forces of the Arab Legion withdrew considerably from the center of the country, and especially from Gush Dan.
After Operation Danny, Dayán's battalion was transferred to the Southern Front, and between July 16 and 18, Dayán participated in Operation Death to the Invader (Hebrew: מִבְצָע מָוֶוֶת לַפּוֹלֵשׁ, Mivtzá Mavet LaPolesh), where he fought against Egyptian forces. On August 1, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and took command of the Etzioni Brigade operating in the Jerusalem area. On the night of August 17-18 he took up positions in the demilitarized zone, but at dawn the Arabs fired artillery on his positions, forcing the brigade to withdraw. This confrontation is considered the greatest military failure in Dayán's career. He later intervened in important negotiations with King Abdullah I and Abdullah el-Tell over the future status of Jerusalem. In March 1949, he participated in the negotiations with the Transjordan delegation, which took place on the island of Rhodes. On April 3, 1949, the agreement between the representatives was signed. The delegation was headed by Dr. Walter Eytan, and in addition to Dayán, Reuven Shiloah joined the delegation.
Road to Chief of Staff
After the war, Dayan ran and was even elected to the first Knesset on the Mapai ticket, while being elected 10th on the Knesset ticket. But at the request of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, he remained in the IDF and, in October 1949, Dayan was appointed head of the Southern Command, with the rank of Aluf (major general, in the IDF equivalent to general). The postwar period was a period of calm, during which Dayán took a nine-month battalion commanders course in parallel with his service as commander-in-chief. On completion of the course, he was sent to complete his military studies for senior commanders in Great Britain. Upon his return, in May 1952, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Command, a position in which he served for about six months.
Upon his return, in December 1952, after the resignation of Chief of Staff Yigael Yadin, Dayán was appointed by the new Chief of Staff, Mordechai Maklef, to direct the Operations Directorate.
During this period, the fledgling State of Israel was constantly plagued by Arab sabotage and infiltration attacks. Dayan solved this problem with large-scale military operations through Reprisal Operations, creating Unit 101 under the command of Ariel Sharon for this purpose, thus preventing the continuation of Arab terrorist attacks.
Ramatcal
On December 6, 1953, Dayan was elected Ramatcal (Israeli Army Chief of Staff) and the next day, Ben-Gurion retired as prime minister and defense minister, transferring the post of prime minister to Moshe Sharet, and that of defense minister to Pinchas Lavon. At that time, the territory of the State of Israel was constantly harassed by attacks by Arab terrorists. Dayan believed that this problem should be resolved with large-scale military operations that would destroy their bases, thus preventing continued attacks on Israel.
Escalation towards the Suez Crisis
On February 25, 1955, an attack by Palestinian terrorists killed an Israeli cyclist in the city of Rehovot. One of the attackers was found with documentation linking him to military intelligence Egyptian. On the 28th of the same month, Dayan ordered the special forces, under the command of Ariel Sharon, to launch a series of retaliatory operations in Gaza under Egyptian occupation, known as Operation Black Arrow, in which Some 37 Egyptian soldiers were killed, marking the worst confrontation between Israel and Egypt since the cessation of hostilities in 1949.
In late August 1955, Egyptian-sponsored terrorist attacks near the Israeli cities of Rishon LeZion and Rehovot killed eleven Israelis. Therefore, Dayán decided to carry out a new retaliatory operation, greater in scope and size than any operation undertaken before. This took place in Jan Yunis on August 31 of that same year (Operation Elkayam), in response to Arab terrorism. In these actions under the command of Mordechai Gur, they produced the loss of 72 Egyptian soldiers.
New actions took place, this time in Kuntilla, after a new Egyptian aggression, storming a small Israeli outpost in Be'erotayim, located in the southern sector of the Nitzana demilitarized zone. Moshe Dayan authorized another immediate retaliation with Operation Egged. On the night of October 28/29, 1955, two hundred paratroopers commanded by Ariel Sharon attacked the Kuntilla post in which the Egyptian forces suffered another 12 deaths and 29 captured.
On November 2, in Nitzana, during Operation Volcano, 81 Egyptian soldiers were eliminated. On December 11, Operation Olive Leaves was launched, destroying several Syrian positions on the eastern shore of the Kinneret. Forty-eight Syrian soldiers were killed.
In October 1956, he was in charge of military penetration operations in the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula during the Suez Canal crisis, which the government of Gamal Abdel Nasser had nationalized and closed to Israeli traffic. Said operation, concerted with the British and French governments, brought him wide popular recognition.
In December of the same year, a similar operation was carried out against Syria. In the summer of 1956, the conflict on the Jordanian border intensified.
Six Day War
In 1958 he retired from the army to dedicate himself to politics; the following year he joined the Mapai, the left-wing bloc led by David Ben Gurion. He was Minister of Agriculture until 1964. In June 1967, when the third war between Israel and the Arab League seemed imminent, he was appointed Defense Minister by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol and oversaw the operations of the Six Day War, in charge of strategic plans. In this contest he established himself as a brilliant military strategist.
Service as Minister of Foreign Affairs
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He returned to the political forefront in 1977, when he was appointed foreign minister by then-prime minister Menachem Begin, a move to the right that was seen by many of his former colleagues as a betrayal. During his years in charge of this portfolio, he was one of the architects of the Camp David agreements, which sealed peace with Egypt. In October 1979, after confronting Menachem Begin over his policy in the occupied West Bank—over which Begin did not want to enter into negotiations with Palestinian refugees—He resigned.
Death
In 1981 Dayán formed a new party, Télem, which proposed the unconditional and unilateral cession of the occupied territories. He was elected to the Knesset for Telem, but complications from colon cancer caused his death in Tel Aviv shortly thereafter.
Private life
In 1934, at an agricultural school, he met Ruth Schwartz, whom he married a year later. They had three children: Yael, Ehud and Assi.