Moshe "Muki" Betser (born 14 October 1945) is a retired Israel Defense Forces colonel who served from 1964 to 1986. Considered "one of Israel’s legendary commandoes", while Betser was deputy commander of Sayeret Matkal he helped plan and was the commander of the break-in teams during Israel's Operation Entebbe. He was also involved in the 1973 Israeli raid on Lebanon and the failed hostage rescue operation during the Ma'alot massacre.[1][2][3]
The Shaldag Unit was founded in 1974, in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War, by Betser, who brought several Matkal veterans with him. Initially operating as a Sayeret Matkal reserve company, it was eventually transferred to the IAF.[4][5]