Shlomo Arel
Encyclopedia
Shlomo Arel was a Major General
in the IDF
, and the seventh Commander of the Israeli Navy.
in 1920 and he made aliyah
to Mandate Palestine with his parents in 1926. His family moved to Petah Tikva
, but eventually settled in Tel Aviv
. In his youth he was member of the Betar
youth movement.
With the outbreak of World War II
Arel joined the British merchant marine. In January 1941 his ship was sunk by a torpedo from a German u-boat
. Arel was rescued and after recuperating, he returned to the navy. After the war he was discharged from the Navy at the rank of captain
. With the outbreak of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War Shlomo Arel joined the Israeli Navy and he became the captain of the Israeli Naval vessel "Palmach". The "Palmach" was credited with many operations in the Sinai and in Lebanon
including the sinking of Adolf Hitler
's yacht off the coast of Beirut
.
After the war, Arel continued as an IDF
officer. He held many posts including being the IDF military attaché in the Israeli embassy in Italy
, and commander of the Israeli Navy's missile ships. In January 1966 Arel was promoted to the rank of Aluf
(Major General
) and became the Commander of the Israeli Navy. In 1968 he resigned from his posts as Commander of the Israeli Navy and he retired from the IDF.
After retiring, Arel received a masters degree in administration from Columbia University
. In the 1970s he became a member of the Likud
party and from time to time he was brought in by Israeli leaders as an advisor of Naval issues.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in the IDF
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...
, and the seventh Commander of the Israeli Navy.
Biography
Arel was born in PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in 1920 and he made aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Mandate Palestine with his parents in 1926. His family moved to Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately...
, but eventually settled in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. In his youth he was member of the Betar
Betar
The Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...
youth movement.
With the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Arel joined the British merchant marine. In January 1941 his ship was sunk by a torpedo from a German u-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
. Arel was rescued and after recuperating, he returned to the navy. After the war he was discharged from the Navy at the rank of captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
. With the outbreak of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War Shlomo Arel joined the Israeli Navy and he became the captain of the Israeli Naval vessel "Palmach". The "Palmach" was credited with many operations in the Sinai and in 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...
including the sinking of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's yacht off the coast of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
.
After the war, Arel continued as an IDF
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...
officer. He held many posts including being the IDF military attaché in the Israeli embassy in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and commander of the Israeli Navy's missile ships. In January 1966 Arel was promoted to the rank of 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...
(Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
) and became the Commander of the Israeli Navy. In 1968 he resigned from his posts as Commander of the Israeli Navy and he retired from the IDF.
After retiring, Arel received a masters degree in administration from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. In the 1970s he became a member of the Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
party and from time to time he was brought in by Israeli leaders as an advisor of Naval issues.
Published works
- Arel, Shlomo (2000), Diplomacy in the Depths of the Sea. Ma'ariv Publishing.