Mordechai Gur

MORDECHAI GUR
SECOND IN THE 11-MEDAL "CHIEFS OF STAFF" OF THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SERIES

The second medal in the series devoted to IDF Chiefs of Staff who have passed away commemorates Mordechai (Motta) Gur who was born in Jerusalem in 1930. While still in his teens, Gur joined the Haganah and served with the new Israel Defense Forces in the War of Independence. He volunteered for the Paratroopers Brigade where he served with distinction. After being wounded in 1955 during a counter-terror operation, he was awarded a recommendation of honor. In the late 1950’s he studied at the Ecole Militaire in Paris.
After commanding the Golani Brigade in the early 60’s, Mordechai Gur served as head of the Operations Branch in the General Staff of the IDF and then as a commander of the IDF Commanders’ School. As commander of the Paratroopers’ Reserves Brigade during the Six Day War in 1967 he and his troops were part of the force that reunited Jerusalem. Gur was among the first Israelis to reach the Western Wall and the Temple Mount, and his famous message “The Temple Mount is in our hands!” became a part of history.

Mordechai Gur served as Chief of Staff from 1974 until 1978. During this time he was responsible for rebuilding the IDF after the Yom Kippur War and in 1976 he commanded the operation to rescue hostages after the hijacking of a plane to Entebbe in Uganda.

After leaving the army Gur was elected to the Knesset and he served as Health Minister, as Deputy Minister of Defense, and as a member of the Security and Foreign Affairs Committee. He died in July 1995.

Obverse:
Portrait of Lieutenant General Mordechai Gur.

Reverse:
Inscription in the center: "Chief of Staffs of the Israel Defense Forces",
above, the Israel Defense Force emblem, right, emblem of the Chief of Staff

Design:
Igal Gabay

Engraving: Slovakia
Minting: Gold - ICMC Mint, Israel, Silver and Bronze - Slovakia