Mordechai Gur: The IDF Commander Who Declared “Har HaBayit BeYadeinu”

Few voices in Israeli history echo as powerfully as the one that crackled across radio waves on June 7, 1967: “Har HaBayit BeYadeinu — the Temple Mount is in our hands.”
Behind that moment stood Major General Mordechai “Motta” Gur, a soldier whose leadership and courage became woven into Israel’s national memory.

Born in Jerusalem in 1930, Gur grew up in a land on the edge of conflict and revival. He joined the Palmach as a teenager, fighting in Israel’s War of Independence and quickly distinguishing himself as a disciplined, thoughtful, and determined young officer. His early experiences — defending convoys, fighting in the Galilee, seeing a vulnerable nation struggle for survival — shaped a lifelong sense of duty.

Through the 1950s and 1960s, Gur rose through the ranks of the Israel Defense Forces, commanding the Paratroopers Brigade, one of the IDF’s most elite and daring units. There he forged the leadership style that would define him: calm under fire, deeply connected to his soldiers, and capable of decisive action when moments demanded it.

In 1967, as commander of the 55th Paratroopers Brigade, Gur was given a mission that would change history — to fight into the Old City of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War. The battle was fierce, fought through narrow streets, stone staircases, and fortified Jordanian positions. But when his forces broke through the Lions’ Gate and reached the Temple Mount, Israel heard the words that would become eternal:
“Har HaBayit BeYadeinu.”

That message was not just a battlefield update. It was the emotional culmination of centuries of Jewish longing and a defining moment of national unity.

Gur continued to climb the military ranks, eventually serving as IDF Chief of Staff (1974–1978). His tenure included rebuilding the IDF after the Yom Kippur War, strengthening reserve forces, and overseeing Operation Entebbe’s planning stage during the daring 1976 rescue of hostages in Uganda.

After retiring from the army, Gur entered political life, serving as a Knesset member and holding ministerial roles. But he remained, above all, a soldier of the nation — a leader whose legacy was forged not in speeches but in moments of profound clarity on the battlefield.

Mordechai Gur’s life reflects the story of Israel itself: struggle, resilience, sacrifice, and the belief that history can turn in a single moment of courage. His voice still resonates across generations, reminding Israelis of a day when ancient hopes met modern bravery.

He passed away in 1995, but the legacy of “Motta” endures — carved into Jerusalem’s stones, carried in the memory of soldiers, and etched into the identity of a nation that will never forget the voice that declared its eternal capital reunited.