Israeli Northern Command
Encyclopedia
The Israeli Northern Command is the Israel Defense Forces
regional command
responsible for the northern front with Syria
and Lebanon
.
on the Golan Heights and the Lebanese
border. During the 1970s and 80s, it mainly faced attacks from the PLO, which was driven to southern Lebanon following Black September
. Beginning with the 1982 Lebanon War
, the Northern Command faced attacks from Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group founded in 1982 to fight the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon
. During 2000, the Northern Command completed its withdrawal from the Security Zone
in southern Lebanon and was dispatched along the UN
-sanctioned border. Although Israel
's withdrawal from southern Lebanon has been met with UN approval, Hezbollah continues its attacks, mainly on the "Dov Mountain" area of Mount Hermon
, an area occupied by Israel from Syria and which Hezbollah claims as Lebanese territory (see Shebaa farms
).
The Northern Command commands regional units from Mount Hermon
in the north, to Netanya
in the south, with a significant presence in the Galilee
and the Golan Heights. Its commander was Aluf
Udi Adam
, although he announced that he would leave the army once the last Israeli soldier leaves Lebanon. On August 8, 2006, IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Moshe Kaplinsky
was appointed to the Northern Command as "representative of the General Staff to the Northern Command," in response to criticism by the government over the Command's handling of the conflict. This, in effect, made Kaplinsky the commander of the Northern Command, with the task of supervising the Ground Forces, Air Force and Navy in Southern Lebanon. Adam was replaced by Gadi Eisencott in October.
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
regional command
Command (military formation)
A command in military terminology is an organisational unit that the individual in Military command has responsibility for. A Commander will normally be specifically appointed into the role in order to provide a legal framework for the authority bestowed...
responsible for the northern front with Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
History
During the wars in the 1960s and 70s, the Northern Command was in charge of the campaigns directed against SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
on the Golan Heights and the Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
border. During the 1970s and 80s, it mainly faced attacks from the PLO, which was driven to southern Lebanon following Black September
Black September in Jordan
September 1970 is known as the Black September in Arab history and sometimes is referred to as the "era of regrettable events." It was a month when Hashemite King Hussein of Jordan moved to quash the militancy of Palestinian organizations and restore his monarchy's rule over the country. The...
. Beginning with the 1982 Lebanon War
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
, the Northern Command faced attacks from Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group founded in 1982 to fight the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. These two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s...
. During 2000, the Northern Command completed its withdrawal from the Security Zone
Israeli Security Zone
The Israeli Security Zone in southern Lebanon was a strip of territory of varying width, , from the Israeli border and the Golan Heights, occupied by Israeli forces from 1985 to 2000. Additional regions controlled by the South Lebanon Army are sometimes included under the term...
in southern Lebanon and was dispatched along the UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
-sanctioned border. Although Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's withdrawal from southern Lebanon has been met with UN approval, Hezbollah continues its attacks, mainly on the "Dov Mountain" area of Mount Hermon
Mount Hermon
Mount Hermon is a mountain cluster in the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the border between Syria and Lebanon and, at 2,814 m above sea level, is the highest point in Syria. On the top there is “Hermon Hotel”, in the buffer zone between Syria and Israeli-occupied...
, an area occupied by Israel from Syria and which Hezbollah claims as Lebanese territory (see Shebaa farms
Shebaa farms
The Shebaa Farms are a small uninhabited territory claimed by Lebanon, but occupied by Israel which claims they are in Syria's Golan Heights. Syrian policy is to vaguely accept the Lebanese claim, while refusing any binding demarcation until Israeli forces withdraw from the area.The United Nations...
).
Units
Mount Hermon
Mount Hermon is a mountain cluster in the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the border between Syria and Lebanon and, at 2,814 m above sea level, is the highest point in Syria. On the top there is “Hermon Hotel”, in the buffer zone between Syria and Israeli-occupied...
in the north, to Netanya
Netanya
Netanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
in the south, with a significant presence in the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
and the Golan Heights. Its commander was Aluf
Aluf
Aluf is the term used for General and Admiral in the Israel Defense Forces . In addition to the Aluf rank itself, there are four other ranks which are derivatives of the word...
Udi Adam
Udi Adam
Aluf Ehud "Udi" Adam was a General in the Israel Defense Forces and the former head of the Israeli Northern Command. Adam has received a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Bar Ilan University and later studied at the School for War Studies in Paris, where he received a M.A. in Strategic Studies...
, although he announced that he would leave the army once the last Israeli soldier leaves Lebanon. On August 8, 2006, IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Moshe Kaplinsky
Moshe Kaplinsky
Maj. Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky , is the CEO of Better Place Israel. Most recently, he was Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. He was previously head of the Israel Defense Force's Central Command, whose area of responsibility includes the West Bank...
was appointed to the Northern Command as "representative of the General Staff to the Northern Command," in response to criticism by the government over the Command's handling of the conflict. This, in effect, made Kaplinsky the commander of the Northern Command, with the task of supervising the Ground Forces, Air Force and Navy in Southern Lebanon. Adam was replaced by Gadi Eisencott in October.
Units
- Northern Corps HQ
- 36th "Gaash"/"Rage" Armor Division36th Division (IDF)The Israel Defense Forces 36th Armor Division, also known as the Ga'ash Formation , is the largest regular-service armor division in the IDF. It is subordinate to the Northern Regional Command....
(Regular)- 7th "Saar me-Golan"/"Storm from Golan" Armor Brigade
- 188th "Barak"/"Lightning" Armor BrigadeBarak Armored BrigadeThe 188th "Barak" Armored Brigade is an Israeli armored brigade, subordinate to Israel's Northern Regional Command. The symbol of the Barak Armor Brigade is a shield with a red border bearing a sword against a blue and white background featuring the Haifa coastline background and a sword on it...
- 1st "Golani" Infantry BrigadeGolani BrigadeThe Golani Brigade is an Israeli infantry brigade that is subordinated to the 36th Division and traditionally associated with the Northern Command. Its symbol is a green tree on a yellow background, and its soldiers wear a brown beret. It is one of the most highly decorated infantry units in the...
- Egoz Reconnaissance UnitEgoz Reconnaissance UnitThe Egoz Reconnaissance Unit is an elite special forces unit of the Israel Defense Forces that specializes in guerrilla and anti-guerrilla warfare among other things. The Egoz Battalion is part of the Northern Command's Golani Brigade....
- Egoz Reconnaissance Unit
- 91st "Galil"/"Galilee" Division (Territorial)
- 3x Reserve Armor Divisions, including "ha-Mapatz" (319th) Armored Division
- 3x Reserve Logistic Support Units (5001st "Northern Golan", 5002nd "Lebanon" & 5003rd "Southern Golan")
- Northern Command Signal Battalion
- "Shahaf"/"Seagull" Field IntelligenceIsraeli Field Intelligence CorpsThe Israeli Field Intelligence Corps is the newest of the IDF GOC Army Headquarters' five corps, created in April 2000, and is tasked with collecting combat intelligence. It is responsible for intelligence units from the battalion level and up to the entire force. Accordingly, it is professionally...
Battalion - Engineer & Construction Battalion
- Alpinist Unit (a reserve unit specializing in mountain warfareMountain warfareMountain warfare refers to warfare in the mountains or similarly rough terrain. This type of warfare is also called Alpine warfare, named after the Alps mountains...
)
Commanders
- Moshe CarmelMoshe CarmelMoshe Carmel was an Israeli soldier and politician who served as Minister of Transportation for eight years.-Background:Born in Mińsk Mazowiecki in the Russian Empire , Carmel emigrated to Mandate Palestine in 1924 when he was 13 years old. He was a founding member of kibbutz Na'an, and was...
(1948–1949) - Yosef Avidar (1949–1952)
- Moshe DayanMoshe DayanMoshe Dayan was an Israeli military leader and politician. The fourth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces , he became a fighting symbol to the world of the new State of Israel...
(1952) - Asaf Simhoni (1952–1954)
- Moshe Tzadok (1954–1956)
- Yitzhak RabinYitzhak Rabin' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
(1956–1959) - Meir ZoreaMeir ZoreaMeir "Zarro" Zorea MC was a general in the Israel Defense Forces and later a member of the Knesset. He earned distinction through his combat actions in World War II and in the Israeli War of Independence...
(1959–1962) - Avraham YoffeAvraham YoffeAvraham Yoffe was an Israeli general during the Six-Day War. He later entered politics, and served as a member of the Knesset for Likud between 1973 and 1977.-Biography:...
(1962–1964) - David ElazarDavid ElazarDavid "Dado" Elazar was the ninth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, serving in that capacity from 1972 to 1974. He was forced to resign in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War.-Early life:...
(1964–1969) - Mordechai GurMordechai GurFollowing his retirement from the IDF, Gur was appointed as the general manager of Kur Mechanica company. In 1981 he was elected to the Knesset as a member of the Alignment. Re-elected in 1984, he served as Minister of Health and was also a member of the Knesset's Security and Foreign Affairs...
(1969 - 1972, 1974) - Yitzhak HofiYitzhak HofiYitzhak Hofi was a General, member of the Palmach, the head of the Israeli Northern Command and the director of Mossad....
(1972–1974) - Rafael EitanRafael EitanRafael "Raful" Eitan was an Israeli general, former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and later a politician, a Knesset member government minister...
(1974–1977) - Avigdor Ben Gal (1977–1981)
- Amir DroriAmir DroriAmir Drori was an Israeli general, founder and the first director general of the Israel Antiquities Authority.-Military career:Amir Drori was born in Tel Aviv in 1937 and graduated from the IDF's Junior Command Preparatory School in Haifa. He was drafted into the Israel Defence Forces in 1955,...
(1981–1983) - Uri Or (1983–1986)
- Yossi PeledYossi PeledYossi Peled is an Israeli general and politician, the former Aluf of the Northern Command in the Israel Defense Forces. He currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Likud.-Early life:...
(1986–1991) - Yitzhak MordechaiYitzhak MordechaiYitzhak Mordechai is an Israeli former general and politician. He served as a member of the Knesset between 1996 and 2001, and as Minister of Defense and Minister of Transport. He retired from political life after being indicted for sexual assaults during his military service and later...
(1991–1994) - Amiram Levin (1994–1998)
- Gabi AshkenaziGabi AshkenaziGavriel "Gabi" Ashkenazi , was the Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defence Forces from 2007 to 2011.- Background and early life :...
(1998–2002) - Benny Gantz (2002–2005)
- Udi AdamUdi AdamAluf Ehud "Udi" Adam was a General in the Israel Defense Forces and the former head of the Israeli Northern Command. Adam has received a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Bar Ilan University and later studied at the School for War Studies in Paris, where he received a M.A. in Strategic Studies...
(2005–2006) - Gadi Eisencott (2006–2011)
- Yair GolanYair GolanAluf Yair Golan is a general in the Israel Defense Forces and currently the head of Israeli Northern Command.-Timeline of career:*1980: enlisted in the Paratroopers Brigade...
(2011–date)