Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz (1998-2002)

 Shaul Mofaz was born in Iran in 1948 and immigrated with his family to Israel in 1957.

He enlisted to the IDF and volunteered for the Paratroopers Brigade in 1966. During the Six Day War, he fought in the Paratroopers Brigade on the southern front against the Egyptian army. In 1969 he was became an officer began to command a platoon in Battalion 890,he took part in the War of Attrition. In 1971 he commanded a company of paratroopers in Battalion 890. He commanded the Paratroopers' Patrol Unit during the Yom Kippur War. He took part in Operation Gown and Operation Davidka, deep in Syrian territory. In 1974 he became Deputy Commander of the 890 battalion in the Paratroopers Brigade. In 1975 he served as Deputy Commander of the Sayeret Matkal commando unit; he took part of Operation Entebbe. In 1976 he studied in Bar Ilan University. In 1978 he returned to the army and commanded Battalion 202 in the Paratroopers Brigade. In 1980 he served as deputy commander of the Paratroopers Brigade. In 1981 he commanded the 769 Regional Brigade that borders the Lebanese border on the east, and took part in the First Lebanon War. In 1982 he was a trainee at the Marine Corps Command and Staff Academy in the United States. In 1984 he commanded IDF Officers Training School (Bahad 1).

In 1986 he commanded the Paratroopers Brigade, his term was characterized mostly by anti-terrorists activity in Lebanon, for example- Operation Law and Order, in which the brigade raided the Hezbollah stronghold in the village of Maidun. In 1988 he commanded an Armored Corps reserve division. In 1990 he commanded the Regional Division that borders with Lebanon. In 1992 he returned to his academic studies, then in 1993 he served as Commander of the Central Command. During his term of office, the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre took place (by Baruch Goldstein) and a wave of suicide attacks began by Hamas terrorists deep inside Israel. In 1994 he served as Commander of Southern Command. His term was characterized by fighting against Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist networks in the Gaza Strip. In 1996 he served as Head of the Planning Directorate in the General Staff. In 1997 he served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Head of the Operations Directorate.

In 1998 he was appointed 16th IDF Chief of Staff. During the first two years of his term, he focused on the fight against the terrorist organization Hezbollah and the IDF's withdrawal from the South Lebanon Security Belt, after 18 years of IDF presence. During the two last years of his term, he led the fight against a Palestinian campaign of suicide bombings and other attacks, which they called the Aqsa Intifada, the climax of which was Operation Defensive Shield, in which the IDF arrested and removed hundreds of terrorists in the West Bank.

In 2002 he finished his term in the IDF. Later on he served as defense minister and continued to fight against the Palestinian campaign of suicide bombings. As part of his actions, he increased the use of targeted aerial strikes against terrorist in the Gaza Strip and established the security fence in the West Bank. In addition, he implemented the Disengagement Plan from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria.