| The Counter-Terror School | |
|---|---|
| בית הספר ללוט״ר | |
 Unit's insignia | |
| Active | 1974 (51 years ago) (1974) |
| Country |  Israel |
| Allegiance |  Israel Defense Forces |
| Type | Counterterrorism school Special operations unit |
| Role | Air assault Anti-tank warfare Artillery observer Bomb disposal CBRN defense Clandestine operation Close-quarters battle Counterterrorism Covert operation Desert warfare Direct action Executive protection Hostage rescue HUMINT Irregular warfare Long-range penetration Military education and training Mountain warfare Patrolling Raiding Reconnaissance Special operations Special reconnaissance Tracking Urban warfare |
| Garrison/HQ | Mitkan Adam |
| Nickname | Unit 707 |
| Mottos | מְלַמֵּד יָדַי לַמִּלְחָמָה וְנִחַת קֶשֶׁת־נְחוּשָׁה זְרֹעֹתָי (2 Samuel 22) "Who trained my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze!"[1] |
| Engagements | Second Lebanon War Operation Cast Lead Operation Protective Edge |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Amos Kotzer - Founding Commander |
TheLOTAR Unit (Hebrew:יחידת הלוט"ר) stands for:Lochama Be'Terror (לוחמה בטרור), meaning "Combating Terrorism." It is also known asUnit 707 orThe Counter-Terror School.
It is tasked primarily with training otherIDF units in the areas of anti-irregular military in insurgency areas,counterterrorism andhostage rescuecrisis management, tacticalintelligence gathering, the use ofsniper rifles, and various small-scale and short-range warfare scenarios. It also, to a lesser degree, performs these tasks itself.[2] Furthermore the unit has taken on several other responsibilities including the theories of camouflage, the training of special soldiers called "monkeys" (trained in climbing and rappelling),[3] and several other training scenarios. Meanwhile if really necessary unit's personnel must carry out military special operations according to assigned missions. Most of them focus on commando style raids, counterterrorism, covert operation, hostage rescue (if necessary), irregular warfare, tactical intelligence gathering, and tracking high-value targets.
The LOTAR School is housed inside ofMitkan Adam (Hebrew:מתקן אדם,lit. 'Adam Base'),[4] alongside theOketz Unit[5] and theOz Brigade, southeast ofTel Aviv within theHevel Modi'in Regional Council.
The unit was founded by its first Commander,Amos Kotzer, in 1974. It was created, along withYamam, a unit in theIsrael Border Police,[6] primarily in response to theMa'alot massacre, where a failed rescue operation bySayeret Matkal resulted in the deaths of 25 hostages, including 21 children, before the hostage takers were killed.[7][8]