15 Facts About Benny Peled

Benny Peled was the commander of the Israeli Air Force during the Yom Kippur War and Operation Entebbe.

Benny Peled was born Binyamin Weidenfeld in Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine, and Hebraized his name to Peled.

Benny Peled's father, Arie Weidenfeld, was a member of a family who came to Israel during the First Aliya from Romania, and settled in Rosh Pinna.

Benny Peled's father worked in the public works department of the British mandate government and was responsible, among other things, for building airfields.

Benny Peled studied in Gymnasia Herzelia and his teachers included Shaul Tchernichovsky, Yehuda Burla and Zvi Nishri, who educated him in the spirit of Zionism and democracy.

Benny Peled then became a pilot and fought in the Independence war.

Benny Peled commanded the first Meteor, Ouragan and Mystere squadrons.

In 1956 Benny Peled participated in Operation Kadesh, the Suez or Sinai campaign, in which his Mystere jet was shot down by Egyptian anti-aircraft fire and he became the first Israeli pilot to use an ejector seat.

Benny Peled was rescued by an IAF Piper light aircraft.

Benny Peled was a base commander during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Benny Peled became commander of the IAF in 1973 when he was 45 years old.

In 1978, Benny Peled became the president of Elbit Systems, a position he held until 1985.

Benny Peled was played by John Saxon in the film Raid on Entebbe.

In July 13,2002 Benny Peled died at his home in Ramat HaSharon from a severe lung disease caused by smoking.

Benny Peled was buried in the military section of the Kiryat Shaul Cemetery.