Eliezer Shkedi
Encyclopedia
Aluf
Eliezer Shkedi (Hebrew
: אליעזר שקדי; born 16 August 1957) is the current CEO of the Israeli national airline, El Al
. Prior to that he was a general (aluf)
in the Israel Defense Forces
and a Commander in Chief of the Israeli Air Force
. Shkedi , a resident of Yehud-Monosson
, was born in Israel
and after graduating from high school in Kfar-Saba he joined the IDF in 1975. He volunteered to attend the flight academy and graduated as a fighter pilot. Shkedi was a member of several units before he was assigned to Hatzerim air force base. He was based there during the 1982 Lebanon War
in which he shot down two enemy aircraft. In the mid 1980s Shkedi studied at Ben-Gurion University, receiving a B.Sc. in Mathematics
and Computer Science
. He continued his career in the airforce until the mid 1990s when he studied for an M.A. in Systems management
at the US Naval Postgraduate School
. He was promoted to Commander in Chief of the Israeli Air Force on April 4, 2004 and was replaced by Aluf Ido Nehoshtan
on May 13, 2008
General Shkedi was appointed campaign commander against countries that do not border Israel. This put him in charge of Israeli Iran Command, which was set up to be the overall coordinator of Israeli military and intelligence against Iran should a war start. Although the appointment was reported in late August 2006, it was said to have occurred before the 2006 conflict in Lebanon
began.
Aluf
Aluf is the term used for General and Admiral in the Israel Defense Forces . In addition to the Aluf rank itself, there are four other ranks which are derivatives of the word...
Eliezer Shkedi (Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
: אליעזר שקדי; born 16 August 1957) is the current CEO of the Israeli national airline, El Al
El Al
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd , trading as El Al , is the flag carrier of Israel. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights to Europe, North America, Africa and the Far East from its main base in Ben Gurion International Airport...
. Prior to that he was a general (aluf)
Aluf
Aluf is the term used for General and Admiral in the Israel Defense Forces . In addition to the Aluf rank itself, there are four other ranks which are derivatives of the word...
in the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
and a Commander in Chief of the Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
. Shkedi , a resident of Yehud-Monosson
Yehud-Monosson
Yehud-Monosson is the joint municipality of the town of Yehud and the neighboring communal settlement of Neve Monosson in central Israel, created by their partial municipal merger in 2003, under the terms of which Neve Monosson retained municipal autonomy under a Local Administration ...
, was born in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and after graduating from high school in Kfar-Saba he joined the IDF in 1975. He volunteered to attend the flight academy and graduated as a fighter pilot. Shkedi was a member of several units before he was assigned to Hatzerim air force base. He was based there during the 1982 Lebanon War
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
in which he shot down two enemy aircraft. In the mid 1980s Shkedi studied at Ben-Gurion University, receiving a B.Sc. in Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
. He continued his career in the airforce until the mid 1990s when he studied for an M.A. in Systems management
Systems management
Systems management refers to enterprise-wide administration of distributed systems including computer systems. Systems management is strongly influenced by network management initiatives in telecommunications....
at the US Naval Postgraduate School
Naval Postgraduate School
The Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...
. He was promoted to Commander in Chief of the Israeli Air Force on April 4, 2004 and was replaced by Aluf Ido Nehoshtan
Ido Nehoshtan
Aluf Ido Nehoshtan, also Nehushtan is a general in the Israel Defense Forces and the current Commander in Chief of the Israeli Air Force. He is the former head of the Planning Directorate...
on May 13, 2008
General Shkedi was appointed campaign commander against countries that do not border Israel. This put him in charge of Israeli Iran Command, which was set up to be the overall coordinator of Israeli military and intelligence against Iran should a war start. Although the appointment was reported in late August 2006, it was said to have occurred before the 2006 conflict in Lebanon
2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War #Other uses|Tammūz]]) and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War , was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon, northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. The principal parties were Hezbollah...
began.