Amir Baram

Amir Baram (; born 22 July 1969) is an Israel Defense Forces major general (Aluf) who currently serves as the Deputy Chief of General Staff. He previously served as the commander of the Northern Command, commander of the IDF Military Colleges, commander of the 91st Division, commander of 98th Paratroopers Division and commander of the Paratroopers Brigade.

Biography

Baram, the son of Yitzhak Baram, was born in Beersheba and lived until around age 6 in Safed, and later in Ra'anana. He studied at the Reali School and was a cadet at the military boarding school, graduating with distinction from Class 34. He enlisted in the IDF in November 1988, volunteering for the Paratroopers Brigade and was assigned to the Paratrooper Reconnaissance Unit. He completed the training as a combat soldier, followed by the Infantry Commanders Course and Infantry Officers Course, graduating as an outstanding cadet. He was appointed as a team leader in the Paratrooper Reconnaissance Unit and later served as deputy company commander. In 1992, he became a company commander in the 890th Battalion. Later, he commanded the Paratrooper Reconnaissance Unit from 1994 to 1996, leading operations including Operation Pink Panther, in which four Hezbollah militants were killed in Lebanon. He subsequently served as a company commander at Officer Training School (Bahad 1). After his term, he pursued studies at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya. In February 1999, he interrupted his studies to replace the commander of the Paratrooper Reconnaissance Unit, Eitan Belhassan, who was killed in action in Southern Lebanon. He rehabilitated the unit and led it to numerous operational achievements before the withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000. After the withdrawal, he resumed his studies at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, earning a law degree with honors. He later attended the National Defense College.

In 2002, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and appointed commander of the 890th Battalion, serving until 2003.Amos Harel, "Lt. Col. Amir Baram: I Have a Reassuring Message for the Public - The Battalion's Soldiers Are Not Hungry and Are Not Cold," Haaretz, February 15, 2003. During his tenure, he led the battalion in fighting against Palestinian terror organizations in Bethlehem before Operation Defensive Shield, and in the Battle of Nablus during the operation. The battalion was later deployed in intense operational activities in Tulkarm. The battalion gained media exposure following an event where soldiers appeared as needy, prompting Baram to clarify in an interview that the paratrooper battalion did not require charity. Another event that drew attention was his adoption of a battalion motto inspired by the U.S. Marines' counterterrorism doctrine: "Patience, perseverance, and sometimes a bullet between the eyes" Following a complaint from a reserve soldier to MK Yossi Sarid, Sarid raised the issue with then-Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon, a former commander of the battalion, who ordered the motto's removal. The motto was replaced with one coined by Ariel Sharon as battalion commander: "No Return Until the Mission Is Completed." In Tulkarm, he improved ambush tactics in urban combat, leading to operational successes (operations "Stimulus-Response"). In May 2004, he was appointed commander of Maglan Unit, serving until June 2006. During his tenure, the unit conducted operations mainly in Judea and Samaria and Gaza, but also participated in operations against Hezbollah on the Lebanese border.

On August 17, 2006, he was promoted to Colonel and appointed commander of the Shomron Brigade. During his tenure, he led extensive counterterrorism operations and thwarted attacks, while easing measures for the civilian population. Among his brigade's achievements was the elimination of Fadi Al-Latif Kapisha, the leader of the Tanzim military wing in Nablus, killed by soldiers of the Haruv Battalion. He published an internal book in the IDF, "Fortress City", documenting methods of combat in dense and underground urban areas. He completed his term as brigade commander in 2008.

He then went on to study at the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in London and simultaneously earned a master's degree in International Relations with honors from King's College London. Upon returning, he was appointed in January 2010 as commander of the 162nd Division, serving until March 2011. On April 14, 2011, he was appointed commander of the Paratroopers Brigade. During his command, he reinstated full brigade parachute training, and in January 2012, he led the brigade in its first full brigade parachute exercise in fifteen years. He completed his role on May 16, 2013.

On October 10, 2013, he was promoted to Brigadier General and appointed commander of the Fire Formation, serving until July 2, 2015. On August 2, 2015, he was appointed commander of the Galilee Division, serving until July 18, 2017. During his command, Samir Kuntar was eliminated, and Hezbollah responded with a roadside bomb on Mount Dov, an incident in which there were no casualties. On December 7, 2017, he was promoted to Major General and appointed commander of the Northern Corps, and on January 3, 2018, he simultaneously assumed the position of commander of the IDF Command and Staff College. He held the position at the military colleges until March 11, 2019, and his role as commander of the Northern Corps until September 26, 2019.

On April 3, 2019, he was appointed commander of the Northern Command. During his tenure, he initiated a standard assessment test, which was completed by all regular and reserve brigades designated to participate in combat in the north. Under his command, the Northern Command led numerous covert operations in southern Syria as part of the campaign between wars (CBW), including airstrikes, ground raids, and targeted killings. These actions prevented Iran's efforts to establish a front against Israel in the Syrian Golan Heights, similar to the one established in Lebanon. In September 2019, he led the command's forces during a day of battle with Hezbollah, in which Hezbollah militants fired anti-tank missiles at IDF posts and an IDF ambulance near the border. In July 2020, he led the command's forces during another day of battle with Hezbollah, during which a Hezbollah cell attempted to infiltrate Mount Dov, was detected, and fled. In August 2020, after Hezbollah snipers fired at an IDF force moving along the fence near Manara, he led a limited operation that targeted several Hezbollah positions near the border. He held this position until September 11, 2022. On October 31, 2022, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff.

During Operation Iron Swords, Baram assumed a senior role in IDF international arms and munition procurement efforts and participated in a battle in the al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza alongside soldiers. During early January 2025, a correspondent by Baram was published which indicated a letter he wrote to IDF chief of staff asking for early resignation by February 2025, due to reductions in the war efforts intensity, feeling unused.

Personal life and education

Baram resides in Bnei Dror, is married to Galit, and is the father of three children. He is a graduate of the IDF Command and Staff College and the Royal College of Defence Studies. He holds a bachelor's degree in Law from Reichman University and a master's degree in International Relations from King’s College London.

He is a graduate of the 15th cohort of the Wexner Foundation Fellows Program."Our Alumni," The Wexner Foundation.

Awards and decorations

Baram was awarded three campaign ribbons for his service during three conflicts.

Further reading

*Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, "The Seventh War," Yedioth Books, 2004, ISBN 9655117677, pp. 251, 252, 347.
*Yair Ansbacher, "Shadow of a Bird," Yedioth Ahronoth, 2009, ISBN 9789654828338.
*Ofer Shelah and Yoav Limor, "Captives in Lebanon: The Truth About the Second Lebanon War," Yedioth Ahronoth, 2007, ISBN 9654824086, pp. 420.
*Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, "Spiderweb," Yedioth Ahronoth, 2008, ISBN 9654824310, p. 116.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baram, Amir
1969 births
Israeli generals
Living people
Military Boarding School for Command alumni
People from Beersheba
Paratroopers
Hebrew Reali School alumni
Reichman University alumni
Alumni of King's College London
Israeli military personnel of the Israel–Hamas war