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Moshe Dayan lost his left eye in 1941 while fighting in Lebanon, a wound that became his trademark. He served as Israel’s chief of staff from 1953-1958, then as defense minister from 1967-1973, orchestrating the decisive Six-Day War. After resigning amid criticism over the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Dayan returned as foreign minister from 1977-1979 to help negotiate peace with Egypt.
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Moshe Dayan โ early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
At 14, Moshe Dayan joined the Haganah, the Jewish paramilitary organization. He was born on 20 May 1915 in Kvutzat Dganya, Palestine now Israel, to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants Dvora and Samuel Dayan.
In 1937, he became a sergeant in the Jewish settlement police and led raids against British and Palestinian forces, leading to his capture and imprisonment. Released in 1941, he joined the British army to fight the Vichy French.
During an engagement in Lebanon on 7 June 1941, Dayan lost his left eye, an injury that defined his appearance. He became a colonel in the 1948 War of Independence and later Chief of Operations in 1952.
The Sinai Campaign in 1956 was his military peak: his forces captured the Sinai and Gaza Strip. As Defense Minister in 1967, he orchestrated the Six-Day War, capturing the West Bank, Gaza, and Golan Heights.
He resigned in 1974 due to the Yom Kippur War, then served as Foreign Minister from 1977, negotiating peace with Egypt.
Dayan married Ruth Dayan on 12 July 1935; they had three children: Assi, Yael, and Ehud. They divorced on 28 December 1971. He then married Rachel Dayan on 26 June 1973.
His father Samuel was a politician, and his children also entered public life: Assi as a film director, Yael as a politician and writer.
Moshe Dayan’s eye patch became a symbol of Israeli military resolve. His planning of the 1956 Sinai Campaign and the 1967 Six-Day War placed him among Israel’s greatest strategists.
He received the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour and the Distinguished Service Order. He is the only person to have both a father and a son as Members of the Knesset. Dayan died of colon cancer on 16 October 1981 in Tel Aviv.
Browse the complete filmography of Moshe Dayan โ every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
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Moshe Dayan's bibliography โ every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.
Every award, honor, and recognition received by Moshe Dayan โ Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
A wall of memorable lines from Moshe Dayan โ lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
To Aim and Hit, You Need One Eye Only, and One Good Finger.
There Is No More Palestine. Finished.
It Was in Our Power to Set a High Price for Our Blood, a Price Too High for the Arab Community, the Arab Army, or the Arab Governments to Think It Worth Paying.
If You Want to Make Peace, You Don’t Talk to Your Friends. You Talk to Your Enemies.
I Have Only One Eye. Do You Want Me to Look at the Road or at the Speedometer?
Little-known facts about Moshe Dayan โ origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
Moshe Dayan is the only person to have both a father and a son who served as Members of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament. He was also an MK from 1959 until his death in 1981.
He was both an Israeli army general and a government official, holding several cabinet positions including Minister of Agriculture, Defence, and Foreign Affairs.
On 7 June 1941, during an action against the pro-Nazi Vichy French in Lebanon, he lost his left eye.
In the Israeli government, he served as Minister of Agriculture 1959-1964, Minister of Defence 1967-1973, and Minister of Foreign Affairs 1977-1979.
From 1953 to 1958, he served as the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army.
From 1959 to his death in 1981, he was a member of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.
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