Eli Marom

Eliezer Marom

Eli Marom, 2007
Nickname(s) Chiney
Born November 13, 1955
Sde Eliezer, Upper Galilee, Israel
Allegiance  Israel
Service/branch Israeli Navy
Rank Aluf (Vice Admiral)
Commands held Commander of a Missile Boat, Commander F.M.B. (First Missile Boat) Squadron, Commander of the Advanced Naval Command Course, Head of Operational Intelligence Department, Commander of the F.M.B. Flotilla, Commander of the Haifa Naval Base and the North Arena, Chief of Staff of the Israel Navy, IDF representative at the United States Joint Forces Command, Defense and Armed Forces Attaché in Singapore, Commander in Chief of the Israel Navy
Battles/wars

Aluf (Vice Admiral) Eliezer "Eli" Marom (Hebrew: אליעזר "אלי" מרום, born in 1955, Sde Eliezer, Upper Galilee, Israel) was the Commander of the Israeli Navy in the years 2007-2011.[1]

Biography

Marom's parents met in China. His father, a German Jew, was living as a refugee during World War II. His mother was born in China; her mother was a Russian Jew who had emigrated to China, and her father was a Chinese man who converted to Judaism. Marom's parents later moved to Israel, where he was born. Marom grew up in Moshav Sde Eliezer in the Hula Valley.[2] He studied Marine Engineering in the Israel Nautical College in Akko, and began his career in the Israeli Navy in 1975 after completing a naval officers course.[1]

Over the course of his career, Marom has held most of the senior positions in the Israeli Navy. According to Haaretz, Marom is widely praised for his abilities as a commander, but concerns about his character led to him being passed over as head of the Navy in 2004. However, Marom was finally appointed to the post in 2007. He was charged with rehabilitating the Navy after the 2006 Lebanon War, in the wake of a Hezbollah missile strike on INS Hanit.[3]

In March 2009, Marom was embroiled in a scandal after he was caught partying at a strip club in Tel Aviv. MK Nachman Shai called for Marom's resignation and IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi verbally rebuked him for his behavior. Ashkenazi did not, however, attach a reprimand to Marom's personal file.[3]

Marom was still head of the navy during the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid. In June 2011, as the Free Gaza Movement was preparing to launch Freedom Flotilla II to Gaza, Marom was quoted as calling the action a 'hate flotilla'.[4]

After leaving the navy in 2011, he became involved in many projects, and serves as Senior Director at Seagull Maritime Security.

In October 2013, he was briefly detained for questioning over his role in the Gaza flotilla raid when he arrived at Heathrow Airport, during a visit to the United Kingdom.[5]

Eliezer Marom is married to Ora and has three children.

Timeline[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Admiral Eliezer Marom, Commander of the Israel Navy". IDF Spokesperson. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  2. "הים הצהוב". Maariv-nrg. 2007-10-27. Retrieved 2011-10-08.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "MK to IDF chief: Fire Navy commander over strip club jaunt". Haaretz. 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  4. "Israel Navy commander: 'Hate flotilla' to Gaza must be stopped". Haaretz. 2011-06-19. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
  5. Former Navy chief Marom detained at Heathrow - Ynetnews. 14 October 2013