Israel Tal
| Israel Tal | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Nickname(s) | Talik, Mr. Armour |
| Born | 13 September 1924 |
| Died | 8 September 2010 (aged 85) |
| Allegiance | Israel |
| Service/branch | Israel Defense Forces |
| Years of service | 1943–74, 1979–89 |
| Rank | Aluf (Major General) |
| Commands held | Bahad 1-IDF Officers School (1954–56), 7th Armored Brigade (1959–60), Commander of the Armored Forces (Gaysot Hashiryon), 84th Armored Division, Deputy Chief of the General Staff |
| Battles/wars | World War II, War of Independence, Sinai War, Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War |
| Awards | Israel Security Award (1961, 1973) Israel Prize (1997) |
Israel Tal (Hebrew: ישראל טל, September 13, 1924, – September 8, 2010) also known as Talik (Hebrew: טליק), was an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) general known for his knowledge of tank warfare and for leading the development of Israel's Merkava tank.
Tal began his military service with the British Army's Jewish Brigade, serving in Italy during the Second World War. He later served as a junior officer during the Israeli War of Independence, as a brigade commander during the 1956 Sinai War, an armored-division commander in Sinai Peninsula during the Six-Day War, and commander of the southern front during the final stages of the Yom Kippur War.
Israel Tal died in Rehovot on September 8, 2010.
Tal, who had been a hero of the Six Day War, was an early opponent of the Bar Lev Line. He and General Ariel Sharon argued that it would not succeed in fending off Egyptian forces. After the official end of the Yom Kippur War, Tal, serving as commander of the southern front, received an order from Chief of Staff General David Elazar and Defense Minister Moshe Dayan to attack Egyptian forces. Tal refused to follow the order, insisting that it was an unethical order and requesting authorization for the requested attack from the prime minister and the supreme court. Such authorization never came. Tal won the argument, but his refusal to follow the order as a practical matter eliminated his chance of being nominated for the position of Chief of Staff to succeed General Elazar.
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