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Yaron Finkelman

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Yaron Finkelman
Finkelman in 2023
Native name
ירון פינקלמן
Born (1975-04-25) April 25, 1975 (age 49)
Ra'anana, Israel
Allegiance Israel
Service / branch Israel Defense Forces
Years of service1993–present
RankMajor general
UnitParatroopers Brigade
Commands35th paratroopers Brigade's Reconnaissance battalion, reserve Paratrooper Brigade, Regional Brigade in the Gaza Division, Givati Brigade, 98th Paratroopers Division
Battles / wars
Finkelman (center) explaining to Home Front Command Commander Tamir Yadai (right) and Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi (left) about the food distribution operation by the Fire Formation in Bnei Brak during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020
Finkelman (left) at the ceremony of his appointment as Head of the Operations Division, October 2020. Outgoing division head Yaniv Assur on the right and Operations Directorate Commander Aharon Haliva in the center

Yaron Finkelman (Hebrew: ירון פינקלמן; born April 25, 1975) is an Israeli major general who commands the Southern Command of the Israel Defense Forces. Previously, he served as the head of the Operations Division at the Operations Directorate, Commander of the Fire Formation, Commander of the Givati Brigade, Commander of the Northern Brigade in the Gaza Strip, Commander of the Half Fire Formation, and Commander of the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Battalion.

Three months after assuming the role of Major General, the 7 October attacks occurred, marking the beginning of Operation Iron Swords. Since then, Finkelman has commanded the battle in the Gaza Strip against Hamas and their allies.

Biography

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Finkelman enlisted in the IDF in November 1993, volunteering for Unit 669. He completed basic training with the Paratroopers Brigade, a medic course, and Unit 669 training.[1] After dropping out of the unit, he was assigned in August 1994 to the 401st Reconnaissance Battalion. He completed training as a combat soldier, the Infantry Commanders Course, and the Infantry Officers Course.[2] Upon completing the course, he returned to the reconnaissance battalion and was appointed a team commander.[3] He later served as a company commander in the Haruv Battalion. Subsequently, he was appointed commander of the reconnaissance battalion of the 500th Brigade,[4] holding the position from 1999–2001. He then served as the operations officer of the Maglan Unit. Later, he was appointed deputy commander of the 890th Battalion, serving during the Second Intifada.

In 2005, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and appointed as the head of the Chief of Staff's office under Dan Halutz,[5] serving in this position during the 2006 Lebanon War.[6] He completed his term in 2007. He then commanded the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Battalion from 2007 to 2009,[7] leading it in combat against Palestinian terrorism in the West Bank,[8] as well as in Operation Double Challenge,[9] and Operation Cast Lead,[10] both in the Gaza Strip.[11]

In March 2011, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel and appointed commander of the Half Fire Formation,[12] commanding it during Operation Pillar of Defense. He completed his role in June 2013. On July 21, 2013, he was appointed commander of the Northern Brigade in the Gaza Strip (Gefen Brigade),[13] leading it during Operation Protective Edge.[14] He served in this position until April 29, 2015. On June 21, 2015, he was appointed commander of the Givati Brigade,[15] completing his tenure on July 20, 2017.

On August 20, 2017, the Chief of Staff, Gadi Eizenkot, issued a reprimand to Finkelman following the theft of thirty-three M16 rifles in May 2017 from the armory of the Sde Teiman base in the south, which was under his responsibility as the commander of the Givati Brigade. In his reprimand, Eizenkot stated, "This is a failure in the security system that does not meet the standards required in the IDF."[16]

On November 16, 2017, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and appointed commander of the Fire Formation.[17] During his tenure, the Ghost Unit was established,[18] and alongside the David's Sling Formation,[19] both were placed under his command within the Fire Formation. In April 2020, he commanded division forces in a food distribution operation in Bnei Brak during the COVID-19 pandemic.[20] He served in this role until August 9, 2020.[21] On October 13, 2020, he was appointed head of the Operations Division at the Operations Directorate,[22] serving in this capacity during Operation Guardian of the Walls and Operation Breaking Dawn. He held this position until October 3, 2022. In early 2023, he was invited by the incoming Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, to lead one of the strategic planning teams formed to address topics Halevi planned to tackle during his tenure.[23]

On June 29, 2023, he was promoted to the rank of Major General,[24][25] and on July 9, he assumed his position as commander of the Southern Command.[26]

Operation Swords of Iron

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The day after the 7 October attacks in Israel, Finkelman joined the battle at Be'eri after managing it the entire previous day from the command headquarters. The battle continued until Monday afternoon.[27] In response to the attack, Israel launched Operation Iron Swords, during which Finkelman commanded the ground maneuver carried out by command forces in the Gaza Strip.[28][29]

Finkelman advanced a maneuver involving three combat divisions in northern Gaza, bypassing the defense systems of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, connecting along the coastal road in Gaza, and taking control of Shifa Hospital. In December, under his direction, the maneuver in the southern part of the Strip commenced, leading to the Battle of Khan Yunis, during which IDF forces developed combat tactics both above and below ground.[30] The campaign led by Finkelman had to consider several complicating factors: the presence of hundreds of hostages held by Hamas and other terrorist factions, the large civilian population, the entrenchment of terrorist factions within it, the extensive tunnel network of terrorist organizations within the Strip, and other variables. Under his command, the IDF conducted the most intense maneuver since Operation Cast Lead,[31] following decades of decline in the capabilities of the Ground Forces, and did so with a higher degree of inter-branch coordination and cooperation than before. The gradual combat method was also used for the first time.[32]

On February 11, 2024, he commanded IDF forces from the command center – Shayetet 13, 7th Brigade, Division 98, and the Air Force – during the hostage rescue operation in Rafah in Operation Golden Hand.[33] Similarly, on June 8, he commanded Operation Summer Seeds (later renamed Operation Arnon), where four hostages were rescued alive from the Nuseirat camp.[34] After the operational takeover of territory, the command employed a "lawnmower" approach—gradually clearing the area of terrorists while reducing the number of forces deployed in the sector. Among the series of operations, the most notable in terms of media exposure was Operation Local Surgery in late March 2024.

In March 2024, Finkelman conducted a war crimes investigation into the unauthorized demolition of al-Isra University in Gaza. Upon completing his inquiry, he presented his findings to IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, which resulted in the official reprimand of Brigadier General Barak Hiram.[35] On April 4, 2024, the Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, decided to issue him a reprimand due to the death of workers at the World Central Kitchen.[36] On May 5, Finkelman gave the opening order in the Battle of Rafah, and in September, the decisive defeat of the Rafah Brigade was completed. The IDF then concentrated its operational efforts within the Strip along the Philadelphi Route (162nd "Steel" Division), along the Netzarim Corridor (252nd Division), and established a buffer zone several kilometers deep into the Strip along the Israel-Gaza barrier. In October 2024, during a chance encounter, command forces killed the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, at Tel al-Sultan in Rafah.[37][38]

Personal life

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Finkelman is married and a father of three. He holds a bachelor's degree in Middle Eastern studies and political science, as well as a master's degree in diplomacy and security, both from Tel Aviv University. He is a graduate of the senior leadership program of the Wexner Foundation, Class of 2023.

References

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  1. ^ Yuval Eilam, "The Soldier Who Was Dismissed from 669 and Became a General! - Week 39," Educational Center - Preparing for IDF and Life, October 27, 2017.
  2. ^ Amir Bohbot, "Rising Red: Most New Brigade Commanders Are Paratroopers," Walla!, October 21, 2014.
  3. ^ Amir Bohbot, "A Look Inside the IDF's Most Dangerous Outpost," Walla, September 5, 2013.
  4. ^ Amir Bohbot, "The War on the Fence: Deception Is the Name of the Game," Walla, April 25, 2014.
  5. ^ Dan Halutz, "Eye Level", Yedioth Books, 2010, p. 278, "The first issue I dealt with was choosing my chief of staff. After receiving a list of candidates, I decided to appoint Major Yaron Finkelman, who had just completed his role as deputy commander of the 890th Battalion. I felt it was essential to have a high-quality officer who understood the ground force experience."
  6. ^ Ofer Shelah and Yoav Limor, "Captives in Lebanon: The Truth About the Second Lebanon War", Yedioth Books, 2007, p. 21.
  7. ^ Hanan Greenberg, "The Battalion Commanders of the Lebanon War Are Upgrading," Ynet, April 18, 2011.
  8. ^ Dikla Schneider, "His Legs Did Not Fail Him," IDF Website, February 22, 2009.
  9. ^ Yiftach Shafir and Gal Perl, "Subterranean Warfare: A New-Old Challenge," in the book Operation Protective Edge: Consequences and Lessons, Institute for National Security Studies, November 2014, pp. 49–53.
  10. ^ Amir Bohbot, "Special Report from Gaza: No Stagnation—There Is Combat in the Strip," NRG, January 14, 2009.
  11. ^ Gal Perl Finkel and Lt. Col. Yaron Simsolo, "Operation Rhino: What the Commando Brigade Should Learn from the U.S. Army's Ranger Regiment," Maarachot 488, July 2020, p. 47.
  12. ^ Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway, "We Were Soldiers Once… and Young!", IDF/PUM—Institute for Tactical and Operational Research, 2006, pp. 9–10.
  13. ^ Noam Whitman, "Col. Finkelman Appointed as Commander of the Northern Brigade in the Gaza Division," IDF Website, July 24, 2013.
  14. ^ Commander’s Orders: Letters from IDF Commanders to Soldiers During Operation Protective Edge, IDF Website, July 13, 2014.
  15. ^ Commander of the Givati Brigade Changed, IDF Website, June 21, 2015.
  16. ^ "Weapons Theft from Sde Teiman," IDF Website, August 20, 2017.
  17. ^ IDF Website, "The IDF, the IDF, We’re Coming – End of Reserve Duty"? – Gal Perl, April 15, 2023.
  18. ^ Amir Bohbot, "Robots, Fighters, and Pilots: The Breakthrough Unit That Will Change the Future of IDF Combat," Walla, July 23, 2020.
  19. ^ Kobi Finkler, "David’s Sling Formation Subordinated to the Fire Formation: We Will Strike the Enemy with Fire and Iron," Arutz7, October 10, 2019.
  20. ^ Gal Perl Finkel, "Hezbollah in Crisis, But It’s Not Advisable to Take Your Eyes Off It," Zman Israel, April 6, 2020.
  21. ^ Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter Assumes Command of the Fire Formation, IDF Website, August 9, 2020.
  22. ^ Brig. Gen. Yaron Finkelman Assumes Command of the Operations Division, IDF Website, October 13, 2020.
  23. ^ Shai Levi, "The Senior Role Is Not New to Him: Meet the Incoming Commander of the Southern Command," Mako, July 10, 2023.
  24. ^ List of New Commanders in the General Staff, IDF Website, May 3, 2023.
  25. ^ Major General Ranks Awarded to Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman and Maj. Gen. Eyal Harel, IDF Website, June 29, 2023.
  26. ^ Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman Assumes Command of the Southern Command, IDF Website, July 9, 2023.
  27. ^ Sarit Magen and Ilana Dayan, "Commander of the 99th Division: 'I Do Not Know of Our Ability to Destroy Hamas Along with Its Infrastructure and Institutions Without Entering and Capturing the Territory,'" Mako, October 26, 2023.
  28. ^ Yoav Zitun, "From Be'eri and Kfar Aza They Watch You – You Are the Victory Generation," Ynet, October 31, 2023.
  29. ^ Lessons from 1982 and 2023: Gal Perl, IDF Website, April 30, 2024.
  30. ^ Hodaya Krish Hazoni, "American Expert: No Military in History Has Avoided Civilian Casualties Like Israel," Makor Rishon, January 30, 2024.
  31. ^ Brig. Gen. (res.) Guy Hazut, "The Hi-Tech Army and the Cavalry Army: How Israel Abandoned Its Ground Forces", Modan Publishing, 2024, p. 252.
  32. ^ Ron Ben Yishai, "The IDF’s Operational Method Is Deliberately Slow – This Is How It Looks, Step by Step," Ynet, November 10, 2023.
  33. ^ Ben Caspit, "Alongside the Successful Operation: Time Does Not Favor the Hostages, Negotiations Must Continue," Walla, February 12, 2024.
  34. ^ Lilach Shoval and Shahar Kleiman, "Operation Arnon: Rescue Under Heavy Fire and Camouflage – Behind the Scenes of the Dramatic Rescue," Israel Hayom, June 8, 2024.
  35. ^ Dağ, Burak (11 March 2024). "Israeli brigadier general found guilty of blowing up university in Gaza, officially reprimanded". Anadolu Ajansı. Ankara. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  36. ^ Hillel Biton Rosen, "The Chief of Staff Takes Harsh Steps Following the Killing of WCK Workers in Gaza," Now 14, April 4, 2024.
  37. ^ Yoav Keren and Yoav Zitun, "Brother, Do You Recognize Him?": New Details on the Elimination of Yahya Sinwar," Ynet, October 18, 2024.
  38. ^ Ben Caspit, "After Sinwar Died Like a Dog, It's Time the Hostages Returned Like Human Beings," Maariv, October 18, 2024.
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