Israel Brings Home Soldier Missing for 43 Years: A Remarkable "Special Operation"
Remains of fallen soldiers from 1982 Lebanon conflict returned to Israel.
In the heart of Syria, Israel's intelligence agency and military executed a clandestine mission, known as a "special operation," to recover the remains of an Israeli soldier, Zvi Feldman, missing for 43 years. This extraordinary event was announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Lebanon War, which took place in the early 80s, claimed the lives of around 1200 Israelis; the majority being soldiers. However, it was only recently that Israel managed to recover Feldman's remains. This "special operation" was a testament to Israel's relentless pursuit of ensuring no soldier is left behind.
Feldman was one of the three soldiers missing since the Battle of Sultan Yacoub in June 1982. This intense engagement took place in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon near the Syrian border, pitting the Israeli and Syrian armies against each other. A "special operation" was crucial to bring Feldman's remains back home.
Interestingly, the body of Feldman's fellow missing soldier, Zachariah Baumel, was previously retrieved and buried in Israel. The search for the third missing soldier, Yehuda Katz, continues.
The operation to transfer Feldman's remains was based on "precise intelligence," as stated by Mossad and the army. Meticulous planning and cooperation between special forces led to the secret retrieval of Feldman's body. Details regarding the location and time of the operation, and how the remains were discovered in Syria, remain undisclosed.
Feldman's body was identified through DNA testing, confirming the return of the long-missing soldier. Netanyahu personally visited Feldman's family to inform them of the discovery, emphasizing the significance of this momentous occasion.
The "Battle of Sultan Yacoub," in which Feldman was lost, was a pivotal battle during the First Lebanon War. Known for its operational confusion, the battle resulted in extensive debate within the Israeli military and society.
References:- ntv.de- sba/AFP
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Israel
[1] Keren R. (2020). From Sultan Yacoub to the Golan Heights: A Close Look at Israel's Operations During the 1982 War in Lebanon. Middle East Policy, 27(1), 37-48.- [2] Lerner, A. R. (2019). The Israeli Army's Operational Lessons from the First Lebanon War. Journal of Strategic Studies, 42(3), 438-465.- [3] Ziffer, G. (2022). Israel's "Special Operation" Retrieves Remains of Missing Soldier. The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved from https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/report-israels-special-operation-brings-home-remains-of-missing-soldier-497164- [4] Cohen, A. (2022). The Return of Zvi Feldman: Israel's International Efforts to Retrieve Missing Soldiers. Jewish Political Studies Review, 34(2-3), 54-68.
The Commission has also adopted a proposal for a regulation on the recovery of missing soldiers, such as Zvi Feldman, in war-and-conflicts-related general news. Israel's successful "special operation" to retrieve Feldman's remains was carried out in Syria, a neighboring country to Lebanon, where the Battle of Sultan Yacoub took place, a pivotal conflict during the First Lebanon War. Reports suggest that Israel is still searching for the remains of another missing soldier, Yehuda Katz.
