Dr. Major General (Res.) Yom Tov Samia
Research Fellow, International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), Reichman University; Country Leader, GE Vernova Gas Power; Chairman of the Board, Apollo Power; Former Commander, IDF Southern Command
Dr. Major General (Res.) Yom Tov Samia is a Fellow at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at Reichman University. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Apollo Power, a company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange that develops and manufactures flexible solar panels. Since April 2019, he has also been General Electric’s state manager for natural gas turbine sales to the Israel Electric Corporation and private producers. He owns and operates a private consulting company led by his son, Yagal Samia, offering services in management, leadership, and strategy. Dr. Samia is a lecturer at Reichman University, Netanya Academic College, and Beit Berl College, and he regularly appears as a military commentator and contributor in Israeli media.
He began his post-military career as co-CEO of the Baran Group, later founding his own business in real estate and strategic consulting. He served as Director of the Energy Division of the Israel Corporation and, in 2007, established IC Green Energy, focusing on renewable energy and biofuel development. Under his leadership, subsidiaries operated in Israel, the U.S., and Germany, including HelioFocus, Primus Green Energy, Petrotech, and IC-Green Projects.
In public service, Dr. Samia chaired the Council for the Regulation of Gambling for three years, streamlining its operations and increasing funding for sports development. He launched the “Project of the Decade,” responsible for building or renovating ten major sports facilities across Israel, including stadiums in Haifa, Be’er Sheva, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and more.
Dr. Samia served in the IDF from 1972 to 2001, rising to the rank of Major General. He began his military service in the Paratroopers Brigade and fought in the Yom Kippur War and the War of Attrition. Over the years, he held numerous command positions, including Commander of the 202nd Paratroopers Battalion, the Givati Brigade, and the Galilee and Gaza Divisions. He also commanded the Southern Command from 1997 to 2001. During his tenure, he led major operations, helped shape doctrine against urban terrorism, and developed operational concepts such as the “Pressure Cooker” tactic, later adopted into IDF doctrine.
Dr. Samia played a critical role in the First and Second Intifadas and helped found the Joint Security Committee with the Palestinian Authority after the Oslo Accords. He continued to serve in the reserves until 2015 and participated in Operations Cast Lead, Pillar of Defense, and Protective Edge.
His areas of specialization include leadership under pressure, urban counter-terrorism, military and civilian strategic planning, and Israeli-Palestinian security policy. Dr. Samia is known for formulating the “seven iron principles” for Israeli strategy regarding the conflict with the Palestinians, advocating a unified Israeli vision to avoid internal societal collapse.
Dr. Samia holds a Ph.D. in Military Strategy and Political Science. His debut book, From Individuals to Unit, was based on his doctoral research and published by the Ministry of Defense in 2008. His second book, Leadership in Moments of Truth, was published in Hebrew in 2014 and in English in 2016, with launches at West Point and other U.S. institutions. His most recent work, Unity or Dying: The Difficult Journey to Unity with the Help of the Jewish-Zionist-Democratic Compass, was published by Yedioth Books in 2024 under the academic supervision of Prof. Asa Kasher.
Over the past 24 years, Dr. Samia has published dozens of articles in mainstream Israeli media and academic platforms. He continues to serve as a volunteer military analyst and political commentator, maintaining editorial independence by refusing compensation for his appearances.
In politics, Dr. Samia joined the Labor Party in 2017 and founded the organization “Citizens for the Advancement of True Leadership.” Disappointed by the party’s direction, he left in 2018 and briefly founded the Bihad party ahead of the 21st Knesset elections.
Born in 1953 in the Pardesia transit camp to a Libyan family, Dr. Samia grew up in the challenging environment of Ramat Herzl, Netanya. He describes his youth as a battle for survival, ultimately finding purpose and leadership through military service. At 15, he participated in the Gadna squad commanders’ course and became a youth movement leader in Netanya by age 17. Today, he is divorced, a father of four, and a grandfather of seven.
