Zvi Gendelman

Zvi "Zvika" Gendelman (Hebrew: צבי "צביקה" גנדלמן; born September 12, 1956) is an Israeli politician who is the current mayor of Hadera, and a former Brigadier-general in the Israel Defense Forces. A member of the Yesh Atid party, Gendelman was elected in the 2013 municipal elections, where he defeated former mayor Chaim Avitan.

Zvi Gendelman was born in Tiberias, Israel on September 12, 1956. At the age of 7, his family relocated to Hadera, where he grew up and was educated.

He enlisted in the IDF naval special forces unit of the Israeli Navy, Shayetet 13. After an injury, he moved to the Armored Corps, where he was trained as a fighter and in a tank commander's course. Subsequently he completed an Officers Course and was a tank commander. In Operation Litani (1978) Gendelman, as a company commander, led the forces in the occupation of the town Bint Jbeil. During the Lebanon War he was the brigade operations officer. At the end of the war he became 7th Armored Brigade officer and eventually the regiment commander. Gendelman served as commander of 460th Brigade and in 1996 was promoted to brigadier general, and was the bang division commander, and the commander of the company and battalion commanders course. In 1999, he was appointed as a commander of the 36th Division, having served in that capacity for two years.

In October 2000, the 2000 Hezbollah cross-border raid and kidnapping of soldiers occurred. Shortly after the occurrence of the event, he stood alone at a press conference, which he took over responsibility. Following the event, he wrote Chief of Staff Shaul Mofaz a letter of resignation. The resignation was not accepted. Peled committee, which investigated the circumstances of the case, did not receive command decisions. Chief of Staff Shaul Mofaz has decided to write a comment command. A Channel 2 investigation sided with Gendelman's lack of guilt. Gendelman continued in his position as commander of the division until May 2001. He then commanded a course for company commanders and battalion commanders.

In 2003 he was appointed as Military attaché in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Finland; a position he held until 2006.

Post-retirement

In the late of 2008, Gendelman announced his intention to run for mayor of Hadera in the municipal elections, but was defeated by incumbent mayor Chaim Avitan. Later on, he was in the business market, dealing with various of innovations and management of projects. In 2013, Gendelman run again for office in the municipal elections, where he defeated former mayor Chaim Avitan.

Personal life

Gendelman has a master's degree in political science and National Security from Haifa University. He is divorced and has 4 children.