Lipkin-Shahak, Amnon (Amnon LIPKIN-SHAHAK)

Lt. Gen. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak - 14 th Chief of General Staff of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), resigned July 9, 1998. In March of that year he appealed to the Minister of Defense to expedite a decision on appointing a new Chief of Staff.
- The strain in which reside both candidates - Major-General Matan Vilnai and Shaul Mofaz - positine unbearable - said Lipkin-Shahak, the then Minister Yitzhak Mordechai. - Will be a shame if the new chief of staff to take office, weary waiting and uncertainty.
. I must say that Lipkin-Shahak, unlike most of his predecessors, wanted to leave a successor to determine their leadership style army early on, and assign the command officers with whom he will work
. So he informed the Minister of Defense, that is not going to affect the imminent appointment to the High Command and asked that the appointments were approved with the consent and participation of his successor.
. The date of his departure Lipkin-Shahak, has appointed the same considerations
. In July, the Army usually begins work on a plan for next year. Therefore, the new chief should determine priorities in the work plan for 1999 - the first for the fulfillment of which he will respond.
. The post of Chief of General Staff Amnon Lipkin-Shahak has appointed the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
. But before you head "brain Army", he, like his predecessors, had to go a long way up the career ladder.
Amnon Lipkin-Shahak was born in 1944 in Tel Aviv. He - "sabra" (native Israeli).
Since 1962, serving in the IDF. He graduated from military academy in Haifa, and then a military college in France.
In the Six Day War (June 1967), a company commander of an airborne. In the war of "Yom Kippur" (October 1973) - the unit commander on the Sinai Peninsula. Member of "Operation Litani (March 1978), during which IDF units penetrated 60 kilometers into Lebanese territory. In 1982, during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon (Operation Peace for Galilee ") was composed of troops of special purpose
Since 1983 - Commander of the Central Military District. Since 1986, the first - the head of military intelligence (AMAN). Since 1991, the first - Deputy Chief, and since 1995 - Chief of General Staff.
Key to victory in this post have been achieved not on the battlefield. The biggest victory he achieved in the struggle for the improvement of the "motivation" (as in Israel, called the support service in the Army), draftees and reservists. The first thing that made chief of staff in this direction - began intensive work with the recruits. He sent generals to hold talks in schools and high school students to explain how they needed a country. As a result, the number of recruits in combat units has increased by a lot of interest.
Improved and the treatment of conscripts. Lipkin-Shahak has ordered completely stop drill and bullying. "Zubur" - an old Army tradition of dedicating a senior soldiers, during which the soldier first year were subjected to subtle humiliations - today is not just a breach of discipline, and crime for which prosecuted.
. As part of the appointments to senior posts Lipkin-Shahak, can not boast of great achievements
. At first he tried to rejuvenate the composition of the high command and to encourage the young officers through rapid promotion. But this trend has been frozen by the Minister of Defense, which has led to tensions Minister and Chief of Staff. Looking ahead, I say that, going into the political arena and create your own centrist party, Lipkin-Shahak, during the election campaign in 1999 suggested that Mordechai to join him. Moreover, he stated that if it turns up that the minister of defense more chances to take the post of head of government, he will relinquish his first place in the party.
. Lipkin-Shahak was also able to transform the relationship of the army and society in meaningful and reasonable
. Country's political leadership he has provided the maximum freedom of action and qualified professional advice. As a result, Israel has been spared from many anxious hours, and possibly from the events with the most serious consequences for the country.
. With regard to the structure and organization, the Lipkin-Shahak was not "head-revolutionary", and not claim this
. Unlike his predecessors, he promised "a small, clever ruthless" army.
Therefore it is difficult to bring him to claim that there is no such. The army left behind him, as experts say, is still numerically too large and suffers from a huge "overweight", basically - in the intermediate levels of command and headquarters. However, this army is functioning well and ready - both morally and financially - to meet its mandated tasks.
. Anyone who believes these estimates are not too flattering to characterize the period of management by the general staff Lipkin-Shahak, should remember what the army he received came in January 1, 1995 in the cabinet chief of staff
. The army was worn down physically and mentally eight years of the intifada, treading in the Lebanese swamp ". It is not healed the wounds of the so-called "war of the generals" in the General Staff after the incident at the training ground Tseelim-2 ". Families whose sons died in accidents and accidents, were in litigation with the Army.
And above it all hovered euphoric burn "peace pipe" Oslo. In Israeli society had the feeling that the world is near and there is no need to put the needs of society over personal interests. Been reduced and funds to support the combat capability of the Army. Politicians lavish in all that concerned the financing of the army, and the share of defense spending in the state budget decreased continuously.
. As a result of such an approach markedly reduced the amount of ammunition in warehouses, equipment was not updated, was sharply reduced the number of exercises for the parts of reservists
. Army disbanded squadrons are expensed warships. Even the number of warheads has been reduced.
Lipkin-Shahak, shared the opinion of the need to increase the combat capability of the Army. However, takes a different position in that regard to Lebanon. At the first meeting of the General Staff, held under his chairmanship, he called to consider the Lebanese issue "in a broad, comprehensive context". As a consequence of this concept, . if it were practical steps taken, . which if not led to a victory over an extremist organization Hezbollah, . but reduce losses caused by the Israeli army and the changes in the ratio between losses IDF and terrorist groups,
. The first such step was significant investment in improving the protective qualities of armor and improvements in the bases. Both events continue to have saved more than one soldier's life.
. Unit was established "Egoz" ( "nut") - Lipkin-Shahak suggested that even when he was the deputy chief of staff - designed exclusively to combat subversive detachment of the enemy
. The soldiers of this unit are exploring ways to infiltration of terrorists and put them through an ambush, causing damage manpower. Since the inception of "Egoz" significantly reduced the number of victims of explosive devices and attacks on strongholds. Hezbollah was forced to change tactics and move to fire from long distances
. Operation "Grapes of Wrath", . held in 1996 at the suggestion of Lipkin-Shahak, . was not particularly successful: the IDF failed to stop the fire "Katyusha", . a tragedy, . which killed dozens of Lebanese civilians in the village of Kafr Kana, . led to premature termination of operations,
. But the agreement "of understanding" reached with Syria and Lebanon after the operation, significantly lowered the number of attacks on northern Israel from Lebanese territory. In this sense, the IDF completed its main task - to protect the settlements of the North and ensure their inhabitants to live a normal life.
. The heaviest of mandated Lipkin-Shahak problems occurred in the second year of his tenure as chief of staff after the election and the change of power in the country
. He only began to recover from tragedy, . which led to his assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, . and Main Intelligence Directorate (Aman) has reported re-evaluate the situation: delays in the implementation of the Oslo agreements increased the likelihood of war.,
. In September 1996, there were violent clashes with the Palestinians, and in another two months, the Syrians have begun to redeploy its forces in Lebanon.
. At the September events army reacted quickly and correctly
. But much more significant challenge to the Lipkin-Shahak was to obtain information about military preparations Syria. Employed at the time with him people confirm: even in times of crisis, when it seemed that the Syrians are going to take military action, the chief of staff did not lose composure.
After carefully considering the intelligence he summoned the leadership of Haman and agreed with their opinion that Assad is not going to fight. Defense Minister Mordechai admitted position Lipkin-Shahak, correct, and together they managed to convince then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that there is no need either to mobilize reservists, cornfields other emergency actions.
. Instead, Lipkin-Shahak, with the support of Defense, ordered to undertake a series of measures to improve the combat readiness of the Army
. In a short time has been significantly increased number of exercises reservists. By reducing operating costs, the IDF replenish ammunition and equipment. Bases on the Golan Heights and in controlled areas have been strengthened and redesigned.
Then, as in dalneshem, Lipkin-Shahak strongly opposed the proposals of Ministers, who followed after the next terrorist attack. To the credit of the Chief of Staff, Defense Minister and Commander of the Central and Southern military districts, the IDF has not committed a single action, would jeopardize the peace process.
. In the purely military sphere there are some successes that Lipkin-Shahak, can be proud of
. For example, the investigation of PE, which took place during the fighting, once again engaged in command, and not military courts.
. - Commander - he loved to emphasize the chief of staff - should bear full responsibility, and therefore have the authority to investigate the incident, in order to avoid the recurrence of PE in the future.
. It was a career Lipkin-Shahak, and such that he no doubt would like to forget how terrible dream
. This is - a plane crash over the settlement of Shear-Yishuv, the death squad of marines in Lebanon, a fire in a forest Saluki, which led to the deaths of soldiers brigade "Golani". It is in these cases appear to those qualities which gave Lipkin-Shahak, the right to the title of "the most humane of the chief of staff ever held this position.
Today he is Minister of Tourism in the government of Ehud Barak. It is his supporter. However, the current study is breathing, that is, the grave. Therefore it is difficult to predict what will be the fate of the former Chief of General Staff in politics ...