Relik shafir biography books

Israel "Relik" Shafir (born 1953) is a retired Israeli Brigadier General (1971–2002), and one of eight air force pilots who took part in Operation Opera, the attack on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor. Shafir served as commander of Israel's Flight school at Hatzerim airbase, and as commander of Israel's large air force base, Tel Nof. Shafir is a Mig ""Äce" and is the only Israeli pilot credited with kills in both the F-15 and F-16. Shafir studied Mathematics and Philosophy at the Bar-Ilan University, and is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Following his military service, and during emergency situations, Shafir served as a foreign press spokesperson for the Israeli Air Force.

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The History of the Israel Air Force begins in May 1948, shortly after the formation of the State of Israel. Following Israel's declaration of independence on May 14, its pre-state national institutions transformed into the agencies of a state, and on May 26, 1948, the Israeli Air Force was formed. Beginning with a small collection of light aircraft, the force soon transformed into a comprehensive fighting force. It has since participated in several wars and numerous engagements, becoming what has been described as "The mightiest air force in the Middle East".

Early years (1948–1967)

Further information: 1948 Arab-Israeli War and Suez Crisis

Preceded by the Sherut Avir, the air wing of the Haganah, the Israeli Air Force was officially formed on May 28, 1948, shortly after Israel declared statehood and found itself under immediate attack from its Arab neighbors. At first, it was assembled from a hodge-podge collection of civilian aircraft commandeered or donated and converted to military use. A variety of obsolete and surplus ex-World War II combat aircraft were quickly sourced by various means – both legal and illegal – to supplement this fleet. The backbone of the IAF consisted of 25 Avia S-199s (purchased from Czechoslovakia, essentially Czechoslovak-built Messerschmitt Bf 109s) and 60 Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IXEs, the first of which, "Israel 1" was locally assembled from British abandoned spare parts and a salvaged engine from an Egyptian Spitfire with most of the rest purchased from Czechoslovakia. Some Spitfires were ferried from Žatec base code-named "Zebra" where pilots also received preliminary flight training, while others were transported by sea. Creativity and resourcefulness were the early foundations of Israeli military success in the air, rather than technology (which, at the inception of the IAF, was generally inferior to that used by Israel's adv

By Kate Cooch

In the late 1970s, it became clear to the international community that Iraq, under the despotic leadership of Saddam Hussein, was attempting to acquire nuclear weapons through the guise of buying nuclear reactors for power generators. At the time, Iraq had well-known expansionist ambitions and unyielding animosity toward what it called dismissively “the Zionist entity,” Israel. Hussein, a congenital thug born literally on the wrong side of the tracks, had ascended to the presidency of Iraq after two decades spent as a brutish street fighter and assassin for the militant Ba’th Party, which had seized political power in 1968.

Once in charge, Hussein stepped up his efforts to make Iraq a nuclear power to counteract Israel’s supposed nuclear capacity. Trading on the diplomatic and financial contacts he had made with France earlier in the decade, Hussein completed a deal in 1975 in which the European nation agreed to sell Iraq the equipment necessary to construct a nuclear reactor at al-Tuwaitha, a research site located on banks of the Tigris River, a mere 12 miles from the center of Baghdad. The French also agreed to supply Iraq with 72 kilograms of enriched, weapons-grade uranium, which could easily be converted for use in an atomic bomb. Such a bomb, which experts calculated could be completed by the early 1980s, could easily kill at least 100,000 people if dropped on Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel.

The world reacted with alarm to news of the sale. The United States and Great Britain expressed measured diplomatic concern, and the United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Agency increased monitoring efforts of Iraq’s nascent nuclear program. But the West was reluctant to alienate the Arab world in the immediate wake of the 1973-74 oil embargo. It fell to Israel, the nation most immediately threatened by Hussein’s obvious thirst for atomic weapons, to devise a suitable response to Iraq. Th

Code-named Operation Opera, on the afternoon of Sunday 7 June 1981 eight Israeli Air Force F-16s armed with two 2,000lb bombs, twin Sidewinder missiles and three external fuel tanks, took off heading for the nearly completed nuclear reactor at Osirak, just south of Baghdad, capital of Iraq.

Shortly after 17.30 hrs, having completed their low-level inbound flight as planned, the F-16s climbed steeply, with the sun at their backs, before they dived in two waves of four aircraft. Minutes later the near-finished reactor was a blasted wreck and meeting little resistance from ineffective flak and a few failed missile launches, the F-16s turned for home. Not a single Israeli aircraft or pilot had been hit and all returned safely.

This dramatic piece serves as a testament to what is one of the most dangerous long-range attack missions in the history of air combat. 

Available in two different Legacy Remarque sizes...

Due to popular demand, we’re delighted to offer ground-breaking Legacy Remarques on this release. Robert’s talented son, Richard Taylor, will create a specially hand-drawn Remarque in the lower border of the print.

These are available to be ordered in two sizes – ‘Quad’ (4 Remarques) and ‘Deluxe’ (7-8 Remarques).

Along with the artists Robert Taylor and Richard Taylor, this print carries the original signatures of six veterans of the Israeli Air Force who flew the F-16 Fighting Falcon during Operation Opera:

Editions that feature original and unique artwork, such as Remarque, Tribute and matted editions, are specifically hand-crafted to order. As a result, our normal delivery policies do not apply to these items but we’ll b