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Dani YatomIsraeli politician and statesman
Date of Birth: 15.03.1945
Country:  Israel |
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Biography of Dani Yatom
Dani Yatom is an Israeli politician and statesman who has had a prominent career in both politics and national security. He was born on March 15, 1945, into a family of a fish store owner. After completing school in 1963, he was drafted into the military and served in the Israel Defense Forces from 1963 to 1996.
Military Career
Yatom began his military service in the special forces unit of the General Staff's Sayeret Matkal, where he eventually rose to the position of deputy commander. He later served in the armored corps and the General Staff, eventually commanding the Central Military District. In May 1972, while serving in the special forces, Yatom participated in the operation to rescue 99 hostages from a hijacked plane at Tel Aviv airport, which was held by the terrorist group "Black September." In 1972, he transferred to the armored corps and participated in combat operations during the Yom Kippur War in October 1973. After the war, he worked in the Ministry of Defense while studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, physics, and computer science.
Political Career
In 1985, Yatom was appointed commander of a tank brigade, and in 1987, he became the head of the planning department in the Ministry of Defense, with the rank of Major General. In 1990, he was appointed the commander of the Central Military District.
From 1996 to 1998, Yatom served as the director of the external intelligence agency Mossad. One of the notable failures during his tenure at Mossad was the unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in Jordan. From 2003 to 2008, he served as a member of the Knesset, representing the Labor Party. In June 2008, Yatom resigned from his position in protest against the policies of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government.
Family and Controversy
Yatom's younger brother, Ehud Yatom, worked in the General Security Service and was involved in the "Bus 300 affair," a controversial incident where captured terrorists were killed.
