Retired Brigadier General Zuri Shagai, Former Paratroopers Commander and Kurdish Advisor, Dies at 92

Retired Brigadier General Zuri Shagai, a prominent former commander of the Israeli Paratroopers Brigade and known for his secret advisory role to Kurdish rebels in Iraq, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 92. Nicknamed "Shenkin" by his peers, Shagai had a military career spanning over three decades, participating in key Israeli conflicts including reprisal operations in the 1950s, the Suez Crisis, the Six-Day War, and the Yom Kippur War, as well as covert missions in Ethiopia, Iran, and Iraqi Kurdistan.

Born in Herzliya and raised in the moshav Ein Vered, Shagai enlisted in the IDF in 1952, volunteering for the Paratroopers Brigade. He served as a platoon commander during the Suez Crisis and fought in the notable Mitla Pass battle. Between 1959 and 1960, he commanded the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit and later held various brigade roles, including intelligence officer. His overseas assignments included training Ethiopian army officers and aiding in the defense of oil facilities in Iran during the Shah's regime.

During the Six-Day War, Shagai was part of the airborne force tasked with capturing Sharm el-Sheikh, which fell without major combat. Post-war, he served as deputy commander of the Paratroopers Brigade and participated in the Karameh operation. His most distinguished role was his secret mission to Iraqi Kurdistan, where he advised Mustafa Barzani's Kurdish forces against Baghdad's regime. Shagai helped develop guerrilla warfare tactics, sniper training, and organized reserve assault battalions, some trained in Israel near Daliyat al-Karmel. He returned to Kurdistan multiple times, leading the Kurds to historic victories over the Iraqi army.

In the early 1970s, Shagai commanded the 820 Regional Brigade and was replaced one day before the Yom Kippur War. During the war, he commanded forces on Mount Dov and the Miron district near Lebanon and later led the 317th Paratroopers Reserve Brigade in the Syrian front and the War of Attrition. After his Kurdistan missions, he served as an instructor at the IDF Command and Staff College. From 1977 to 1980, he commanded the Shlomo region in the Sinai Peninsula and later led the 81st Regional Division before retiring in 1984.

Shagai lived in the Paratroopers neighborhood of Ramat Gan and was honored by the city in 2012 with the Yakir Ha'Ir award for his lifelong contributions. He is survived by his wife, Tzippa, and their only son, Yair, a longtime photojournalist for Yedioth Ahronoth.