Medal - Ezer Weizman

Ezer Weizman was born in 1924 in Tel Aviv into a prominent Zionist family, the nephew of Chaim Weizman, Israel’s first President. After serving as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force during World War II, he was among the founders of the Israeli Air Force and its commander from 1958-1966. The strength of the IAF was the decisive factor in the destruction of enemy air power in the opening hours of the Six Day War in 1967 during which Weizman served as Chief of Operations of the General Staff. Following his retirement from the military Weizman turned his energy to politics. A colorful personality with outspoken views on a variety of issues, he served as Minister of Defense, of Arab Affairs, and of Science and Technology. He was a member of the team which negotiated the Camp David Accords and the Peace Treaty with Egypt. Weizman was elected President of Israel in 1993, serving until 2000, during which time he brought a unique “Israeli character” to the office – warm, dynamic, candid, and spontaneous. Ezer Weizman died on April 24, 2005 at the age of 80.