Chaim Bar-Lev

CHAIM BAR-LEV
OFFICIAL MEDAL 2007/5767
Fourth in the 11-Medal “Chiefs of Staff of the Israel Defense Force” Series

Chaim Bar-Lev (Brotzlewsky) was born in Vienna, Austria in 1924 and came to Israel as a teenager. In 1942 he joined the Palmach and in 1946, as a company commander, he led the group that blew up the Allenby Bridge near Jericho to prevent Arab militiamen in Trans-Jordan from entering Jewish towns west of the Jordan River.

During the War of Independence Bar-Lev served as a battlion commander in the Negev Brigade and as brigade operations officer. In the Sinai Campaign of 1956 he commanded an armored brigade that captured the Gaza Strip and later reached the Suez Canal. In the early 1960’s he studied in the US and in France before his appointment as Deputy Chief of Staff on the eve of the Six Day War. He became the 8th Chief of Staff in 1968, serving in the post until 1971. During this period he oversaw the building of a line of fixed fortifications along the Suez Canal that became known as the Bar-Lev Line.

In the 1973 Yom Kippur War Bar-Lev was recalled to active duty as special advisor to Chief of Staff David Elazar, serving first on the Northern Front and later commanding the Southern Front.

After retiring from the IDF, he was elected to the Knesset and served as a Minister in the Government. He later served as Israel’s Ambassador to Russia from 1992 until his death on May 7, 1994.

Obverse: On the medal face, the likeness of Lieutenant General Chaim Bar-Lev.

Reverse: “Chiefs of Staff of the Israel Defense Force"

Edge: Smooth

Designer: Igal Gabay