Moshe Dayan

Israeli Military & Political Leader

May 20, 1915 Degania Alef, Israel

October 16, 1981 Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel

Ruth Dayan

Voted as ‘the 73rd-greatest Israeli of all time’, Moshe Dayan is believed to be one of the greatest generals of all time. He became a respected, heroic figure in the Middle East, as he was the mastermind behind some of the most challenging and impossible of military victories. He served as the Chief of General Staff, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Israeli government. He joined the illegal, underground Jewish defence force at the age of fourteen and was later sent to prison by the British authorities. He served during the Israeli war of independence and was the commander of the Sinai Campaign against Egypt. During his tenure in the defence ministry, he played a pivotal role in the 'Six-Day War'. He was a man of complex character, sometimes difficult to understand and was known for his mental brilliance. He lost his left eye in battle and wore an eye patch for the rest of his living years. Ironically, Dayan used to get quite depressed with war and also hated the suffering that it brought to mankind.