Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir: The Next IDF Chief of Staff and His Syrian & Yemenite Heritage

Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir: The Next IDF Chief of Staff and His Syrian & Yemenite Heritage

By: Fern Sidman

The appointment of Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir, 59, as the next chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) marks a pivotal moment in the history of the Israeli military. A battle-hardened commander with decades of experience across the most challenging fronts, Zamir took office on March 6, 2025, at a time of unprecedented security challenges. His selection comes amid heightened regional tensions and strategic recalibration in the wake of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack—an event that reshaped Israel’s national defense priorities.

Yet behind Zamir’s stellar military career lies a deeply rooted and illustrious family history, one that intertwines with the broader story of Jewish resilience and the greatness of Aleppo, one of the most significant Jewish centers in the Middle East.

Eyal Zamir’s ancestry is a microcosm of Israel’s rich tapestry of Jewish migration and perseverance. His paternal lineage hails from Yemen, with his grandfather, Aharon, having immigrated to Israel in the 1920s. Aharon was not just a man of strong Zionist conviction but also a fighter—he joined the Irgun, the underground paramilitary organization that played a crucial role in the struggle for Jewish statehood. He was wounded twice in the fight for Israel’s independence, embodying the spirit of resilience that would later define his grandson’s military career.

Yet, it is Zamir’s maternal lineage, originating in Aleppo, Syria, that reveals a particularly illustrious heritage. His mother’s family, the Abadi family, is deeply tied to the greatness of Aleppo’s Jewish community—a community that, for centuries, was a beacon of scholarship, commerce, and religious devotion in the Middle East.

The Abadi family were among the prominent families of Aleppo’s Jewish elite. Not only were they known for their economic contributions—most notably through the famous Abadi biscuit manufacturing enterprise—but they were also respected for their scholarly and communal leadership. The family was deeply embedded in the commercial life of the city, with trade networks spanning from Aleppo to Damascus, Beirut, and even as far as India and South America.

However, by the mid-20th century, rising Arab nationalism and the hostility towards Jews following the establishment of Israel in 1948 led to the near-total exodus of Aleppo’s Jewish community. Many, including the Abadis, found refuge in Israel, where they contributed to the nation’s economic and military development.

Upon their arrival in Israel, members of the Abadi family played an instrumental role in building modern Israeli industry. The Abadi biscuit company, founded in Jerusalem, became a household name, producing traditional Syrian-style biscuits that remain a staple in Israeli cuisine. Their success was emblematic of the broader contribution of Syrian Jews, who excelled in trade, industry, and finance while maintaining their deep-seated cultural and religious traditions.

For Eyal Zamir, the legacy of his maternal ancestors is not just a historical footnote—it is a living connection to the perseverance of the Jewish people. His mother, born in Jerusalem, carried forward the traditions of the Aleppan Jewish community, ensuring that the values of hard work, integrity, and devotion to the Jewish state were instilled in her son.

This heritage undoubtedly shaped Zamir’s military ethos. The discipline, strategic foresight, and resilience that defined Aleppo’s Jewish leaders and merchants are mirrored in Zamir’s approach to military strategy.

As Zamir now steps into the role of Israel’s 23rd IDF Chief of Staff, he carries the weight of history—both his personal lineage and the broader legacy of the IDF. His military career has placed him at the heart of Israel’s defense operations, from serving as military secretary to the Prime Minister (where he worked closely with national leaders on security strategy) to devising operational responses to Hamas’s threats in the Southern Command.

His appointment is also historically significant—he will be the first chief of staff from the IDF’s Armored Corps since David Elazar in the 1970s. This marks a shift away from recent trends, where the position was dominated by officers from the Infantry and Special Forces.

Beyond his battlefield experience, Zamir has developed a strong academic foundation that has shaped his approach to military leadership. His education is extensive, multi-faceted, and highly strategic, ensuring that he possesses both tactical expertise and a deep understanding of national security policy.

Zamir’s journey began at the Military Boarding School in Tel Aviv, where he moved at the age of 14, leaving behind his childhood home in Eilat. Even as a teenager, he displayed exceptional leadership qualities, and his yearbook entry predicted his future rise in the ranks: “a Chief of Staff at the very least.”

His education within the IDF included his graduation from the Inter-Service Command and Staff College, an elite institution that prepares mid-career officers for high-ranking roles in the IDF, as well as his studies at the National Security College, a prestigious program that cultivates senior officers’ understanding of geopolitical strategy, defense policy, and security threats. He also completed a one-year officer training program at the École Militaire in Paris, France, where he gained international military perspective and honed his strategic vision.

These formative years not only provided Zamir with technical military knowledge, but also equipped him with a global outlook on security affairs, particularly relevant given Israel’s complex regional challenges.

Recognizing that modern warfare requires intellectual as well as tactical excellence, Zamir pursued advanced academic studies to complement his military expertise, He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Tel Aviv University, where he developed a deeper understanding of political systems, diplomacy, and conflict resolution. He also holds a Master’s Degree in National Security from the University of Haifa, focusing on military strategy, asymmetric warfare, and counterterrorism.

Zamir also completed a General Management Program for Senior Executives at The Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania), which provided him with executive-level leadership training. This experience strengthened his abilities to navigate complex military-political environments.

In 1984, Zamir was drafted into the IDF’s Armored Corps, an elite unit specializing in maneuver warfare and tank operations. His rise was meteoric, as he quickly gained recognition for his tactical brilliance, resilience under fire, and ability to lead from the front.

In the early years of his service, Zamir commanded armored battalions, honing his skills in mechanized warfare. He became known for his meticulous operational planning and his ability to execute high-pressure maneuvers in combat.

He worked his way up the the position of commander of the 7th Armored Brigade. This brigade, one of the IDF’s most historic and decorated armored units, played a crucial role in Israel’s wars against hostile forces. Leading the 7th Brigade was a mark of trust and prestige, reserved for officers with extraordinary battlefield leadership.

From there he became a commander of the 143rd Division which is a key division in Israel’s ground forces, responsible for large-scale armored operations and strategic maneuvering.

By 2009, Zamir had already cemented his reputation as a rising star in the IDF.

Zamir was entrusted with leading the 36th Division, the primary armored division of the Northern Command. Given Israel’s complex security threats from Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria, this role required a masterful understanding of combined arms warfare, border security, and counter-insurgency operations.

In one of the most politically sensitive and strategically demanding roles, Zamir served as military secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This position placed him at the nexus of military operations and national security policy.

During this time, he advised the Prime Minister on security threats, defense policy, and military operations. He also coordinated between the IDF, intelligence agencies, and government ministries as well as providing real-time strategic assessments on major security challenges, including the growing threat of Iran’s nuclear ambitions and Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure in Gaza.

His tenure as military secretary significantly strengthened his political acumen and strategic foresight, preparing him for the highest levels of command.

In 2015, Zamir was appointed Commander of the Southern Command, placing him in charge of defending Israel’s volatile southern border against Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza.

His tenure was defined by managing escalating violence. He led major counterterrorism operations against Hamas, responding to rocket attacks, border infiltrations, and tunnel warfare.

Zamir also reinforced Israel’s military posture while also seeking to prevent unnecessary escalation.

Under his leadership, the IDF advanced intelligence gathering and precision strike capabilities against Hamas’s infrastructure.

His decisive actions earned him high praise from both military and political leaders.

As Deputy Chief of Staff, Zamir was responsible for IDF force development, strategic planning, and operational readiness. His tenure was characterized by overseeing multi-front preparedness. Given the growing threats from Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iranian militias in Syria, and Hamas in Gaza, he emphasized flexible, multi-domain military strategies.

He prioritized cyberwarfare and intelligence-driven operations, recognizing the changing nature of modern warfare and he was instrumental in developing the IDF’s operational doctrine for future wars.

Zamir took a year-long research sabbatical at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy  in 2021 where he published a landmark strategy on countering Iran’s regional expansion.

His paper analyzed Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its proxy network in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen as well as the need for preemptive military action to curb Iran’s growing influence. He also focused on the importance of U.S.-Israel security cooperation in addressing regional threats.

His research has already influenced Israeli defense strategy, and as Chief of Staff, he will implement these insights in real-time military operations.

Zamir’s intellectual depth, battlefield experience, and strategic vision make him uniquely qualified to lead the IDF during one of the most challenging periods in Israel’s history. His education, command experience, and proven leadership at the highest levels ensure that he is not just a warrior, but a visionary strategist.

As Israel faces a volatile Middle East, rising Iranian threats, and ongoing border tensions, Zamir’s leadership will be pivotal in securing the future of the Jewish state. His rise to the highest military position was no accident—it was the result of decades of excellence, resilience, and an unbreakable commitment to Israel’s security.

Eyal Zamir’s journey to the IDF’s highest military post is a testament to the resilience of the Jewish people—from the windswept deserts of Yemen to the bustling trade centers of Aleppo, his ancestry represents the many strands that have woven the fabric of modern Israel. His maternal roots in the esteemed Abadi family of Aleppo and his grandfather’s Zionist struggle in the Irgun form a lineage of strength, intelligence, and perseverance.

As he now assumes command of the IDF, Zamir will undoubtedly draw upon the lessons of his heritage—the tenacity of Aleppo’s Jewish leaders, the strategic vision of its merchants, and the unwavering commitment of his Irgun-fighter grandfather—to lead Israel’s military through one of the most challenging security environments in its history.

In a time when Israel faces existential threats on multiple fronts, the appointment of a leader with such a profound personal and historical connection to Jewish resilience, strategic brilliance, and military excellence could not be more fitting.

Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir is not just a military commander—he is the embodiment of a legacy, one that stretches from the alleys of ancient Aleppo to the highest echelons of Israel’s defense establishment.

And now, that legacy is poised to shape Israel’s future.