Mr. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak was born in Tel Aviv on March 18,
1944, sixth generation to a family of Jewish settlers who left Russia in the
19th century to settle in Hebron. Mr. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak graduated from
the Military High School for Officers in Haifa in 1962 and enlisted into the
Israel Defense Forces, serving until July 1998. During his military term of duty
Mr. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak held various commanding posts in the paratroopers forces
and armored brigades including, in the rank of General, the posts of Commander
of the Central Command and Chief of Military Intelligence. In March 1991, Mr.
Amnon Lipkin-Shahak was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the I.D.F. and was
assigned by the late Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin to head the Israeli military
team to the negotiations with the Palestinians for the Gaza-Jericho Agreement.
On January 1, 1995 , Mr. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak was promoted to the rank of
Major-General and appointed Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. During
his term in office as Chief of Staff, Mr. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak was sent by late
Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin to Washington for a summit meeting with his Syrian
counterpart General Hikmat Al-Shihabi to commence negotiation for security
arrangements in preparations for the advancement of the peace process between
Israel and Syria .
Mr. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak's awards for peacetime and combat
service include two Israeli citations for Valor and an American Legion of Merit
citation signed by President Bill Clinton which he was awarded by the American
Chief of Staff in June 1997 during a visit to the United States . Major-General
Amnon Lipkin-Shahak was chosen "Man of the Year" in Israeli politics and society
by the most popular newspaper in Israel . Holding both portfolios and serving as
member of the security Cabinet, Mr. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak was a senior member of
the Peace Team led by Prime-Minister Ehud Barak, including participation in the
Camp David round of talks, Sharm - El-Sheik and Taba. After the last elections
of February 2001, Mr. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak resigned from all political activities
and posts to go into business.
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