Meyr Amit Israeli military and statesman Date of Birth: 17.03.1921 Country: Israel

1. Biography of Meir Amit
2. Early Life and Military Career
3. Intelligence and Political Career
4. Political Career

Biography of Meir Amit

Meir Amit was an Israeli military and political figure, known for his roles as the head of military intelligence Aman and political intelligence Mossad. He was born on March 17, 1921, in Tiberias, Palestine.

Early Life and Military Career

Meir Amit's parents immigrated to Palestine from Ukraine in 1920. His father, Chaim, was the biological brother of Abram Naumovich Slutsky, the father of the renowned Soviet poet Boris Slutsky. Meir Amit grew up in a socialist family and joined the kibbutz Alonim in Lower Galilee.

In the mid-1940s, he joined the ranks of the Haganah and changed his surname to Amit. During the War of Independence in 1948-1949, Amit gradually rose through the ranks, commanding a company, battalion, and then a regiment. He was later appointed as the deputy commander of the "Golani" Brigade. Amit was wounded during the war but continued to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces after its conclusion.

Intelligence and Political Career

In 1951, while serving as a brigade commander, Amit met General Moshe Dayan, who was then the commander of the Southern Military District. In 1956, during the Suez Crisis, Amit became the head of the operational department of the General Staff, which was led by Dayan at that time. Amit had the potential to become the Chief of General Staff, replacing Dayan. However, during a planned parachute training in 1958, his parachute failed to fully open. Though he survived the accident, he spent 18 months in hospitals recovering.

After his recovery, Amit retired from the military and went to study at Columbia University. In 1961, he received a master's degree, and his thesis was titled "Comparative Analysis of the Army Education System with the Education System in the Kibbutz."

In 1962, upon the retirement of the head of military intelligence, Haim Herzog, Moshe Dayan recommended Amit for the position. Despite the reservations of Isser Harel, the overseer of all intelligence services, who was concerned about the candidate's lack of experience in intelligence work, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion appointed Meir Amit as the head of military intelligence Aman. From 1962 to 1963, he led the Israeli Military Intelligence, and from 1963 to 1968, he served as the director of Mossad.

Political Career

From June 13, 1977, to July 20, 1981, Meir Amit was elected as a member of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. He served as a member of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee and held the position of Minister of Transport and Communication until September 15, 1978.