Kfar Yuval hostage crisis
Encyclopedia
The Kfar Yuval hostage crisis, which took place during June 15, 1975, was a raid by a squad of Palestinian
militants belonging to the Arab Liberation Front
on the Israeli moshav
of Kfar Yuval in which the militants took residents as hostages and attempted to bargain for the release of terrorists held in Israeli prisons. One person was killed during the takeover.
An IDF special unit freed the hostages and killed the four militants the same day. During the operation, an IDF soldier was killed, and his wife, one of the hostages, was fatally wounded.
militant organization crossed the border from Lebanon
, heading towards the Israeli village of Kfar Yuval. The squad, which was hiding in the apple plantations of the village, was not detected by the security forces, although security had been reinforced in the village after the breach in the border fence was discovered. On the night of June 15 four militants infiltrated a house in the village. One of the family members, Nehemiah Joseph, who was an Armored Corps soldier, attempted to stop them, blocking the entry to the house doors by gathering furniture next to the door, but was killed by the militants immediately; the other people in the house were taken hostage.
After Israeli military forces arrived at the scene negotiations with the militants began, with the help of the local resident Rahamim Cohen, who volunteered for the job as he spoke fluent Arabic. The militants presented a proclamation with demands to release terrorists detained in Israeli prisons, including Archbishop Hilarion Capucci
and Japanese militant Kōzō Okamoto
.
in his army service, joined the takeover operation team.
As the force began breaking into the house they were shot at by the militants. Jacob went ahead of the rest of the takeover team, charging into the house and managing to shoot two militants before he was killed. The rest of the takeover force, encouraged by Mordechai's daring move, broke into the house and killed the rest of the squad.
Jacob Mordecai was killed and Isaac Joseph-Chai, the father of the family taken hostage, and his son Abraham Joseph-Chai were seriously injured during the exchange of fire. Jacob's wife Simcha was also injured, and died the next day in the hospital. Jacob's infant son was saved because his mother hid him in a washing machine.
Jacob Mordecai was posthumously awarded the Medal of Courage
.
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
militants belonging to the Arab Liberation Front
Arab Liberation Front
Arab Liberation Front is a minor Palestinian political faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , politically tied to the Iraqi Ba'ath Party formerly headed by Saddam Hussein.- Historical background :...
on the Israeli moshav
Moshav
Moshav is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah...
of Kfar Yuval in which the militants took residents as hostages and attempted to bargain for the release of terrorists held in Israeli prisons. One person was killed during the takeover.
An IDF special unit freed the hostages and killed the four militants the same day. During the operation, an IDF soldier was killed, and his wife, one of the hostages, was fatally wounded.
Details of the attack
On June 13, 1975 a squad of militants belonging to the Arab Liberation FrontArab Liberation Front
Arab Liberation Front is a minor Palestinian political faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , politically tied to the Iraqi Ba'ath Party formerly headed by Saddam Hussein.- Historical background :...
militant organization crossed the border from Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, heading towards the Israeli village of Kfar Yuval. The squad, which was hiding in the apple plantations of the village, was not detected by the security forces, although security had been reinforced in the village after the breach in the border fence was discovered. On the night of June 15 four militants infiltrated a house in the village. One of the family members, Nehemiah Joseph, who was an Armored Corps soldier, attempted to stop them, blocking the entry to the house doors by gathering furniture next to the door, but was killed by the militants immediately; the other people in the house were taken hostage.
After Israeli military forces arrived at the scene negotiations with the militants began, with the help of the local resident Rahamim Cohen, who volunteered for the job as he spoke fluent Arabic. The militants presented a proclamation with demands to release terrorists detained in Israeli prisons, including Archbishop Hilarion Capucci
Hilarion Capucci
Hilarion Capucci is the retired titular archbishop of Caesarea for the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.He was ordained a priest of the Basilian Aleppian Order on 20 July, 1947. On 30 July 1965 he was appointed archbishop and consecrated...
and Japanese militant Kōzō Okamoto
Kozo Okamoto
was a 24-year-old botany student from a respectable middle-class family when he was recruited to the Japanese Red Army . He was later detained in Lebanon. During his stay in Lebanon, Okamoto converted to Islam in what was seen as an attempt to avoid being returned to Japan...
.
Takeover operation
Jacob Mordecai, the husband of hostage Simcha Mordecai, heard about the hostage-taking while on his way to work and quickly returned to the village, not knowing that his wife and 11-month-old son were among the hostages. He spoke with the commander of the northern command and demanded to be allowed to join the takeover force, mainly because he knew how the rooms in the house were laid out. The commander of the northern command accepted and Jacob, a combat soldier in the Golani BrigadeGolani Brigade
The Golani Brigade is an Israeli infantry brigade that is subordinated to the 36th Division and traditionally associated with the Northern Command. Its symbol is a green tree on a yellow background, and its soldiers wear a brown beret. It is one of the most highly decorated infantry units in the...
in his army service, joined the takeover operation team.
As the force began breaking into the house they were shot at by the militants. Jacob went ahead of the rest of the takeover team, charging into the house and managing to shoot two militants before he was killed. The rest of the takeover force, encouraged by Mordechai's daring move, broke into the house and killed the rest of the squad.
Jacob Mordecai was killed and Isaac Joseph-Chai, the father of the family taken hostage, and his son Abraham Joseph-Chai were seriously injured during the exchange of fire. Jacob's wife Simcha was also injured, and died the next day in the hospital. Jacob's infant son was saved because his mother hid him in a washing machine.
Jacob Mordecai was posthumously awarded the Medal of Courage
Medal of Courage
The Medal of Courage is an Israeli military decoration. The medal is awarded for carrying out acts of gallantry at the risk of life, during combat duty. The medal was established in 1970 by act of law in the Knesset....
.
External links
- Palestinian Raiders Hold Israel Family But Then Are Slain - published on The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
on June 15, 1975 - Terrorists Attack Israeli Villagers - published on the Herald-Journal on June 16, 1975
- Israel Retaliates After Raid On Village Leaves 7 Dead - published on the Milwaukee Journal on June 16, 1975
- Mother Gets Guerrillas To Spare Son; Then Dies - published on the Virgin Islands Daily News on June 17, 1975