Herzog, Chaim

(1918-97)

   Israel's sixth president (1983-88). Born in Belfast, Ireland, on 17 September 1918, he was the son of Rabbi Isaac Halevi Herzog, who later became the first chief rabbi (see RABBINATE [CHIEF] OF ISRAEL) of the state of Israel. He received an education in Ireland and at the University of London, Cambridge, and Hebron Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He immigrated (see ALIYA) to Palestine in 1935. During World War II, he served in the British army and became head of intelligence in the northern zone of Germany. During Israel's War of Independence in 1948, Herzog served as an officer in the battle for Latrun. He was director of military intelligence from 1948 to 1950 and 1959 to 1962. He served as military attache in Washington from 1950 to 1954 and then became the commanding chief of the Jerusalem district from 1954 to 1957. He was chief of staff of the southern command from 1957 to 1959. After retiring from the army in 1962, he directed an industrial investment company. Beginning in 1967 with the Six-Day War, Her-zog was the leading military commentator for Israel Broadcasting Services. He was the first military commander of the West Bank after the Six-Day War. He served as Israel's representative at the United Nations from 1975 to 1978 and was elected to the 10th Knesset in 1981. In 1983, he was elected president of Israel and was reelected in 1988. He died on 17 April 1997.