In 1940 he gained admission to Mandatory Palestine, joining the Yishuv; he was later one of the founders of the kibbutz Neot Mordechai.

He later notionally left the Palmach, volunteering for the SOE's program of agents inserted into Occupied Europe.

After the War of Independence, he transferred to the newly created IDF; among his first duties was the role head of delegation to ceasefire talks with Jordan.

However, a year later he left permanent service with the IDF, and returned to his kibbutz, but remained in the reserves; while there, from 1950 to 1964, he commanded the 188th Armored Brigade.

[8] Units from Laner's division played a major role in stabilizing the situation on the Southern Golan, and then evicting the Syrians from their gains.

It went on to play a role in the subsequent attacks on the Syrians; they also stopped a major counterattack by Iraqi reinforcements.