Moshe Levi

Levi, born in Tel Aviv to an Iraqi-Jewish family, was known by his army nickname Moshe VaHetzi (Hebrew: משה וחצי‎ ("Moshe and a half") because of his towering height.[1]

He was drafted into the army in 1954 and served in the Golani Brigade. After completing his officers' course, Levy joined the Paratroopers Brigade. He fought in the Suez Crisis of 1956, during which he took part in the Mitla Pass parachute drop.[2] From 1963 to 1967, he held a number of command positions in the Paratroopers Brigade, and became it's operations officer. He was appointed commander of the School for Parachuting and Guerrilla Warfare. During the Six-Day War, Levi fought on the Sinai and Golan Heights fronts. He led the operation to conquer Ras Sedr in the Sinai. In 1968, he was appointed deputy commander of the Reserve Paratroopers Brigade and in 1969, he became commander of the Jordan Valley Regional Brigade. During the War of Attrition, his brigade pursued militant squads attempting to infiltrate from Jordan. He became commander of the Reserve Paratroopers Brigade in 1970.[3]

Levi was appointed head of the Central Command staff in 1973, and served as head of the operations department of the General Staff in 1974. In 1976, he commanded the 880th Reserve Armored Division, and was appointed head of Central Command in 1977, serving in this position until 1981. Levi served as Deputy Chief of Staff and head of the Operations Division from 1982 to 1983. During his tenure, the First Lebanon War broke out and he took an active part in the management of the war alongside Chief of Staff Rafael Eitan.[3]

Levy was promoted to Chief of Staff in 1983, succeeding Eitan During his tenure, he presided over the IDF withdrawal in Lebanon in 1985 and oversaw the redeployment of Israeli troops and the creation of the security zone in South Lebanon.

Levy helped to build the IDF ground forces branch.[2] He created two new infantry brigades: the Nahal Brigade and Givati Brigade.[4] During his tenure as Chief of Staff, he presided over Operation Wooden Leg, the Israeli raid on the PLO headquarters in Tunis and the airlifting of Ethiopian Jews to Israel in Operation Moses and Operation Joshua.[3]

While serving as Chief of Staff and after retiring from the army, Levy lived on Kibbutz Beit Alfa in northern Israel. In his last years, he was the founding chairperson of the supervisory board of Highway 6, also known as the Trans-Israel Highway.

Levy was married twice and was survived by five children and five grandchildren.

In 2002, Levi suffered a stroke and was hospitalized at Tel HaShomer Medical Center. He was left with limited mobility and relied on a wheelchair, but continued to remain in the public eye. On January 1, 2008, Levy suffered a massive stroke and was hospitalized at HaEmek Medical Center in Afula, and died eight days later of a brain aneurysm.[4] He was at Kibbutz Beit Alpha. His funeral was attended by government officials and hundreds who knew and worked with him attended his funeral, and eight generals served as the pallbearers.

In a sketch by the HaGashash HaHiver comedy trio, Moshe Levy is referred to as Musa Wanus (Moshe and a half in Arabic).

• List of Israel's Chiefs of the General Staff

• Obituary in The Times, 17 January 2008