Gal Hirsch

An engaging book which mixes sections which are largely biographical and memoir with other sections expounding the author's thoughts on tactics and strategy. The sections relating to the military doctrines & strategies can sometimes feel a little abstract to the lay reader but they are by no means impenetrable.
I enjoyed reading this book and the personal perspective it provides though my enjoyment was tempered by the fact that it relates to a conflict that still manifests itself to this day without any sign of drawing to a peaceful conclusion.… (altro)

This autobiography starts at the age of 13 in 1977. At 14 he got into the military collage which is at an army base but they are taken every day to an ordinary high school and have military subject at the base in the afternoon and evening and alternate weekends.
When he got into the elite unit in the army and got top marks he was kept on at that course to be an instructor this was a regular pattern.
We are taken on missions behind enemy lines and you understand how back at the base is in contact with the group and keeping them informed on what can be seen around. Many of the operations are done at night using night vision.
When Rabin was assassinated Nov 1995 foreign dignitaries arrived in Israel at the airport and the army flew the by helicopter to the Betar stadium and got the to the ceremony at Har Hertzl.
In 1996 Grapes of Wrath against Lebanon rockets came onto Israel from around a UN base and Israeli artillery landed on this base. Gal lead a behind the lines unit to destroy these rockets and they succeeded and returned without casualties.
In 1996 a tunnel was opened in the old city which was used as a provocation to violence. Sending his unit into action.
Driving through the West Bank he was hit by a rock and almost died, suffering from paralysis and we read about his recovery process which took a year.
Before the 2nd Intafada broke out it was predicted that there would be a demonstration and the Palestinians would use live fire and the army was ready for this. When it was realize that the suicide bombing was not just spontaneous but orchestrated by Yassar Arafat they started building the barrier wall and they had contingency plans to retake the S&J but only took a few cities and place like Balata and used bulldozes to get in.2001.
On the Lebanese border he predicted that they would try to abduct especially after Shalit was taken. Contingency plans were made for this and every soldier was trained to deal with this but firing started on the whole Lebanese border and reservist were taken who had not been properly trained in the issue. His plan to deal with this was put on hold while the air force was busy which he considered an error. A series of raids were done while Chief of Staff Halutz thought he could solve the issue by bombing but the rockets never stopped. The method used was by sectioning off Hisballa bases and wiping them out and destroying the rocket caches. It took 2 weeks before the government accepted that this was war and not just a skirmish.
Gal was blamed for the soldier’s deaths and had to approach a judge to have a unbiased hearing to clear his name. At the time of the 2nd Lebanon war the government and head of the army were not the people with experience for the situation as Sharon had appointed people he knew and could control and he was in a coma.… (altro)