Yekutiel Adam
Encyclopedia
Yekutiel "Kuti" Adam (November 3, 1927 – June 10, 1982) was an Israeli general
and former Deputy Chief of Staff
of the Israeli Defence Forces.
He was born in Tel Aviv, Israel to Yehuda and Elisheva Adam (formerly Adamov). He was named after his grandfather, who was killed in combat in 1919. His family were Mountain Jews
from the Caucasus
region.
At the age of 15, Yekutiel joined the Haganah
. At 20, he became a commander.
On May 1, 1948, he was one of the commanders who captured the Palestinian village Salame, to the south of Tel Aviv. He later joined an elite Haganah unit that conducted raids into enemy territory.
In March, 1950, Adam married and built a house in Tel Aviv. At that time, he became an officer in the IDF, with the rank of lieutenant
. Adam rose quickly through the ranks. In 1952, he became a captain in the Givati Brigade
. Then he went on to command the Be'er Sheva
bloc as a lieutenant colonel.
He went on to study in the war academy in France in 1964-66 and returned to assume the rank of colonel. In the Six-Day War
, he served under Ariel Sharon
, proving his worth. Following the war, he became commander of the Golani Brigade
. The Golani Brigade was responsible for keeping the peace in the north during the War of Attrition
. During this time, Adam was promoted to brigadier general and served as the vice commander of the IDF's Northern Command
until the end of the Yom Kippur War
.
In 1974, Adam was moved to the Sinai where he became a major general and eventually went on to head the Southern Command.
He was the commander of the Operation Entebbe
, the 1976 raid at Entebbe airport in Uganda.
In 1978, he went to the United States
to study and returned to become the Deputy Chief of Staff, under Rafael Eitan
, and head of the Directorate of Operations.
In 1982, Adam went to the USA again to study, this time in Berkeley
, but came back to Israel after Prime Minister Menachem Begin
announced Adam's appointment to as head of the Mossad
, in relacement of Yitzhak Hofi
. Yekutiel Adam was killed in action at Beaufort Castle
, Lebanon in 1982.
Yekutiel Adam was buried in Kiryat Shaul cemetery, Tel Aviv. A street was named after him in Ashkelon
, and a main road in North Jerusalem. The Israeli Institute of Technology has named the Adam Yekutiel soil-machine laboratory after him.
His son Udi Adam
has followed in his father's footsteps becoming a Major General
in the Israel Defense Forces
and later was appointed commander of the Northern command.
The IDF base called Adam Facility (Mitkan Adam), home to the Israeli Counter Terror School and other training facilities for Sayarot
, shooting
and sniping
is named after Yekutiel Adam.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and former Deputy Chief of Staff
Ramatkal
The Chief of the General Staff, also known as the Commander-in-Chief of the Israel Defense Forces is the supreme commander and Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. At any given time, the Chief of Staff is the only active officer holding the IDF's highest rank, Rav Aluf , which is usually...
of the Israeli Defence Forces.
He was born in Tel Aviv, Israel to Yehuda and Elisheva Adam (formerly Adamov). He was named after his grandfather, who was killed in combat in 1919. His family were Mountain Jews
Mountain Jews
Highland Jews, Mountain Jews or Kavkazi Jews also known as Juvuro or Juhuro, are Jews of the eastern Caucasus, mainly of Azerbaijan and Dagestan. They are also known as Caucasus Jews, Caucasian Jews, or less commonly East Caucasian Jews, because the majority of these Jews settled the eastern part...
from the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
region.
At the age of 15, Yekutiel joined the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
. At 20, he became a commander.
On May 1, 1948, he was one of the commanders who captured the Palestinian village Salame, to the south of Tel Aviv. He later joined an elite Haganah unit that conducted raids into enemy territory.
In March, 1950, Adam married and built a house in Tel Aviv. At that time, he became an officer in the IDF, with the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. Adam rose quickly through the ranks. In 1952, he became a captain in the Givati Brigade
Givati Brigade
The Givati Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and serves as its amphibious force. Givati soldiers are designated by purple berets...
. Then he went on to command the Be'er Sheva
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
bloc as a lieutenant colonel.
He went on to study in the war academy in France in 1964-66 and returned to assume the rank of colonel. In the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
, he served under Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
, proving his worth. Following the war, he became commander of the Golani Brigade
Golani Brigade
The 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...
. The Golani Brigade was responsible for keeping the peace in the north during the War of Attrition
War of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
. During this time, Adam was promoted to brigadier general and served as the vice commander of the IDF's Northern Command
Israeli Northern Command
The Israeli Northern Command is the Israel Defense Forces regional command responsible for the northern front with Syria and Lebanon.-History:...
until the end of the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
.
In 1974, Adam was moved to the Sinai where he became a major general and eventually went on to head the Southern Command.
He was the commander of the Operation Entebbe
Operation Entebbe
Operation Entebbe was a counter-terrorist hostage-rescue mission carried out by the Special Forces of the Israel Defense Forces at Entebbe Airport in Uganda on 4 July 1976. A week earlier, on 27 June, an Air France plane with 248 passengers was hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists and...
, the 1976 raid at Entebbe airport in Uganda.
In 1978, he went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to study and returned to become the Deputy Chief of Staff, under Rafael Eitan
Rafael Eitan
Rafael "Raful" Eitan was an Israeli general, former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and later a politician, a Knesset member government minister...
, and head of the Directorate of Operations.
In 1982, Adam went to the USA again to study, this time in Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, but came back to Israel after Prime Minister Menachem Begin
Menachem Begin
' was a politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before independence, he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun, the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah. He proclaimed a revolt, on 1 February 1944,...
announced Adam's appointment to as head of the Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
, in relacement of Yitzhak Hofi
Yitzhak Hofi
Yitzhak Hofi was a General, member of the Palmach, the head of the Israeli Northern Command and the director of Mossad....
. Yekutiel Adam was killed in action at Beaufort Castle
Beaufort Castle, Lebanon
Beaufort or Belfort The castle was named "bel fort" or "beau fort" by the Crusaders who occupied the castle in the twelfth century. Its Arabic name Qala'at ash-Shqif means Castle of the High Rock...
, Lebanon in 1982.
Yekutiel Adam was buried in Kiryat Shaul cemetery, Tel Aviv. A street was named after him in Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
, and a main road in North Jerusalem. The Israeli Institute of Technology has named the Adam Yekutiel soil-machine laboratory after him.
His son 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...
has followed in his father's footsteps becoming a 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...
in the Israel Defense Forces
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 later was appointed commander of the Northern command.
The IDF base called Adam Facility (Mitkan Adam), home to the Israeli Counter Terror School and other training facilities for Sayarot
Sayeret
Sayeret , literally means "reconnaissance unit" in the Israel Defense Forces . In practice, these units specialize in commando and other special forces roles, in addition to reconnaissance...
, shooting
Shooting
Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
and sniping
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
is named after Yekutiel Adam.
Further reading
- Michael OrenMichael OrenMichael B. Oren is an American-born Israeli historian and author and the Israeli ambassador to the United States...
, Six Days of War (Oxford, 2002), ISBN 0-345-45912-4, pp. 182, 212.