bˈɔːɹn ɪn hˈeɪfə, hˈɛɹl bɪɡˈæn hɪz mˈɪlətˌɛɹi kɚɹˈɪɹ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ æt ðɪ ɪzɹˈeɪli ˈɛɹ fˈoːɹs flˈaɪt skˈuːl, haʊˈɛvɚ, ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks swˈɪtʃt tə ðɪ ɪzɹˈeɪli ɑːɹtˈɪlɚɹi kˈɔːɹ.
Born in Haifa, Harel began his military career in 1974 at the Israeli Air Force flight school, however, in 1976 switched to the Israeli Artillery Corps.