Yossi Harel

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Yossi Harel (Hebrew: יוסי הראל‎), born Yosef Hamburger (January 4, 1918 - April 26, 2008) was the supervisor of the Exodus 1947 operation and a leading member of the Israeli intelligence community.[1]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Yossi Harel was born in Jerusalem in 1918. He was a sixth generation Jerusalemite.[2] At the age of 15, he joined the Haganah. Later, he fought under Orde Wingate. Between 1945 and 1948, he played a leading role in the clandestine immigration enterprise in pre-state Israel, commanding four Aliyah Bet ships: Knesset Israel, the Exodus, Atzma'ut and Kibbutz Galuyot.[3] Harel studied mechanical engineering in the United States. As chief of staff, Moshe Dayan called him back to Israel and made him head of Unit 131, an Israel Defense Force intelligence unit.[4]

[edit] Commemoration

Harel is the subject of a biography in Hebrew by Yoram Kaniuk, Exodus: The Odyssey of a Commander (1999), which has been translated into many languages.[5] He rose to fame after the release of the 1960 Otto Preminger film Exodus, which was based on the Leon Uris novel of the same name. His character in the novel, Ari Ben-Canaan, was portrayed by Paul Newman.[6]

In 2007 the government of Italy awarded the Exodus prize to Harel. The prize is given annually to individuals who promote peace and humanitarianism at La Spezia in Italy, where the ship Exodus was renovated.[7]

[edit] Death

Harel died of heart attack in Tel Aviv on April 26, 2008 at the age of 90. [8]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ashkenazi, Eli. "Yossi Harel, commander of Exodus, dies at 90", Haaretz, April 27, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-27. 
  2. ^ Ashkenazi, Eli. "Yossi Harel, commander of Exodus, dies at 90", Haaretz, April 27, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-27. 
  3. ^ Ashkenazi, Eli. "Yossi Harel, commander of Exodus, dies at 90", Haaretz, April 27, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-27. 
  4. ^ Ashkenazi, Eli. "Yossi Harel, commander of Exodus, dies at 90", Haaretz, April 27, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-27. 
  5. ^ http://www.ithl.org.il/book_info.asp?id=656 Profile of Kaniuk biography
  6. ^ Leker, Maya. "Yossi Harel, who commanded Jewish refugee ship Exodus in 1947, dies in Tel Aviv", Ynetnews, April 26, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-27. 
  7. ^ Yossi Harel, 90, Commanded Historic Refugee Ship, By The Daily Telegraph, April 29, 2008
  8. ^ Ashkenazi, Eli. "Yossi Harel, commander of Exodus, dies at 90", Haaretz, April 27, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-27. 

[edit] See also

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