Benjamin Telem ( he, בנימין תלם) (1928 – 16 June 2008) was the 9th Commander of the Israeli Navy (1972–1976).

Early life and education

Born Benjamin Blumenthal in

Dessau Dessau is a town and former municipality in Germany at the confluence of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the '' Bundesland'' (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it has been part of the newly created municipality of Dessau-Roßlau ...

, Germany, in 1928, Telem immigrated to Haifa, during the Mandate era, as a child in 1933. He attended the Haifa Naval School, joining the Palyam shortly after graduation. Later on in his career Telem would complete officer courses in England.

Career in the Navy

In 1956, during the

Suez Crisis The Suez Crisis, or the Second Arab–Israeli war, also called the Tripartite Aggression ( ar, العدوان الثلاثي, Al-ʿUdwān aṯ-Ṯulāṯiyy) in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel,Also known as the Suez War or 1956 Wa ...

, Telem served as head of branch operations of the Navy, and shortly after the war, in 1957, was appointed commander of the destroyer ''Yaffo'', a position he held for two years. Telem also took part in the Six-Day War, the Cherbourg Project, and the War of Attrition as a Navy officer. In 1972 he was promoted in rank to Major General and elevated to Commander of the Navy.

Yom Kippur War

Telem's skill as Commander was quickly tested by the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Contrary to the opinion of others in the IDF intelligence, Telem insisted on preparing for the war, the outbreak of which came as a surprise to most in the Israeli establishment. Although the war as a whole did not result in outright victory for either side, the Israeli Navy did not lose a single ship (while sinking multiple enemy ships) and only suffered three casualties.

After the Navy

Telem retired from the Navy in 1976. Then- Defense Minister

Shimon Peres Shimon Peres (; he, שמעון פרס ; born Szymon Perski; 2 August 1923 – 28 September 2016) was an Israeli politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Israel from 1984 to 1986 and from 1995 to 1996 and as the ninth president of ...

appointed Telem special assistant to the ambassador to South Africa, where he conducted several weapons deals. In 1979, he left government service, and served as CEO of

Israel Military Industries , former_name = Israel Military Industries , type = State-owned enterprise , industry = Arms industry , fate = Acquired by Elbit Systems , successor = Elbit Systems Land , founded = , founder = , defunct = , hq_location_city = Ramat ...

from 1980 until his retirement in 1991. Telem died on 16 June 2008. An autobiography, "תלם בים" (''A Trail ("Telem") at Sea''), was published posthumously.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Telem, Benjamin 1928 births 2008 deaths People from Dessau-Roßlau Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to Mandatory Palestine German emigrants to Mandatory Palestine Israeli people of the Yom Kippur War Israeli Navy generals Burials at Kiryat Shaul Cemetery