Oved Amittai: Jewish Ottoman Officer at War and British Captive During WWI

The book tells the story of Oved Amittai, born in Yesod HaMa’ala, one of the few Jewish-Yishuv officers to serve as a combat officer in the Ottoman army during World War I. Captured by the British in Egypt, Amati recorded his experiences and humanistic interactions with Turks, British, and Bedouins, portraying them with fairness and empathy.
Featuring 39 rare documents and photographs, many published for the first time, the book offers detailed, vivid accounts and serves as a unique resource for understanding daily life, interpersonal relations, and resilience during World War I in the Land of Israel.

Dr. Yossef Charny is a historian specializing in World War I in the Middle East and the British Mandate period prior to the establishment of the State of Israel. He earned his PhD at Bar-Ilan University, where he focused on the integration of Jewish officials into senior positions within the British administration. Charny serves on the board of the Association for World War I Heritage in Israel and is editor of its bulletin. He has published numerous scholarly articles, including research on Jewish soldiers who served in both the British and Ottoman armies during World War I.