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Moshe Feiglin is head of the Jewish Leadership faction in the Likud and can be reached via the web site.
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By Moshe Feiglin
January 2, 2005
Yefim Koretzki could not understand how he remained alive. His unit of the Golani Brigade, comprising 24 half-tracks and 3 tanks began the climb towards Tel Faher during the battle to liberate the Golan Heights.
The fortunate ones who reached the approaches to the objective, stormed forward and fought like lions, exposed to the light of day, and facing superior forces deployed in well dug in positions. Fourteen commendations and 2 medals for bravery were awarded for this battle. There were few survivors. Yefim's luck ran out at the end of the Six Day War when his jeep encountered a mine and he was gravely wounded.
But Yefim wasn't the kind of man who gives in. Despite his grave disability, he refused to accept financial aid from the Defense Ministry. "The Country doesn't owe me anything." he explained. He was hospitalized for more than a year. After being discharged he immediately began working, built a wonderful family, and continued to fight the daily war of existence with his own efforts.
Over the course of years, the effects of his serious injuries became more marked, and he is now confined to his home. Every movement he makes causes agonizing pain whereby the terrible events of the past are relived.
I visit Yefim every Shabbat. A ray of hope emerged despite the terrible pains and nightmares of yesterday. Nine years ago his son Zviki joined the IDF. Yefim passed on to his son his entire Zionist ardor, his belief in the State of Israel and in the IDF, Zviki is really something. He is hard working and talented, and stunned the senior officers who encountered him. He finished an officer's course and then advanced rapidly through progressive ranks leaving a trail of reports of excellence in his wake.
As a young officer he filled a number of positions usually given to people several ranks above him. In everything he did, he introduced improvements and was well liked by those above and below him. Zviki saw his future in the army. He joined the ranks of the regular army and was scheduled to start a course of studies about two years ago. When Yefim saw Zviki this made his day.
But Zviki was too good for the State of Israel. One Shabbat when the battalion commander took a vacation, he left Zviki in command of the battalion. Zviki was patrolling with a single jeep when he suddenly received a message in the Arab village of Nazlat Zid. A car bomb was being prepared to make an attack on Hadera. This was at the peak of terrorist attacks. The distance of from the village to the target was short. There was no time to organize additional forces. Just Zviki, his driver and an additional soldier blocked the path of the car bomb intended to attack Hadera. Zviki didn't hesitate and entered the village.
It was Shabbat. There were no people in the area apart from the residents of the village. So why was there a demonstration blocking his path? Obviously, this apparently spontaneous demonstration was intended to delay him and thus permit the car bomb to leave for its destination.
Zviki got out of his jeep and called for the demonstrators to leave the place. Naturally, no one obeyed him. He fired in the air and still this had no effect. Time was passing so Zviki did something that was customary at the time. He took careful aim and fired at a brick wall in a nearby house. He clearly saw the place where the bullet had hit. Now the demonstrators dispersed and Zviki rushed to patrol the village. The car bomber was no longer there and had been caught in a nearby village.
When Zviki left the village he saw that a crowd had gathered. The villagers pointed to an injured person in a vehicle. They claimed he had been hit by a bullet. Zviki helped as best as he could and brought the vehicle with the wounded person to a nearby medical unit.
As a result of pressure applied by the Betzelem organization, Zviki was brought to trial. The prosecution had no real proof. The body of the injured had been taken away by the Arabs and buried a long time earlier. No one could prove that he had been killed by a bullet. It was quite likely that in other similar cases, local Arabs had killed the person and used the body for propaganda purposes.
But why should the military court concern itself with such explanations when precedents had already been established by the Supreme Court and leftist media person Ilana Dayan was breathing down his neck? A window frame, without the glass, was produced as proof that Zviki's bullet had exploded it. (It's worth saying that a bullet from an M16 rifle as used by Zviki leaves a hole, but the rest of the glass remains intact.) Zviki's request to return to the village and locate the place where his bullet hit the wall was rejected.
Two difficult years ensued for Zviki and his parents. They had spent all their money on lawyers and appeals. Nothing was of any avail. Even his final request to receive a pardon from the CGS was rejected. He was reduced in rank, the studies promised him were cancelled, and this morning Zviki entered the military prison where he will serve his 6 months sentence.
This is the prize given by the State of Israel to a devoted, talented officer, who gave 9 years to serving the IDF, years in which a person builds his future. For his courage in facing alone an incited Arab mob, and terrorists planning to perpetrate an attack on Hadera, the State of Israel should have awarded Zviki a medal.
But this is now what happens in the Israeli era of reversal of values. Zviki an excellent officer from Karnai Shomoron, wearing a kippa, was just the prey the establishment was waiting for.
I have visited Yefim every Shabbat for many years. Over the last two years I have seen how his world has collapsed around him in ruins. He is incapable of understanding how the same State in which he believed and for which he gave everything can do such a thing. I tried to explain to Yefim that it isn't the State. Someone has stolen the State from us. But one day it will be liberated. But Yefim doesn't want to hear this and is sinking into depression. I have avoided publicizing the affair until now. Zviki has been taken captive by people who have covered their eyes with a red sheet. Zviki is in jail and Yefim is more broken in spirit than in body.
This man with a broken body who lives on drugs against pain that would have killed a normal person, is starting a sole demonstration opposite the entrance to the General Staff HQ in Tel Aviv. He intends to sit there in the rain and cold, and I fear for his life.
And Zviki? Thank G-d Zviki is beginning to understand what his father is unable to accept. "You must appeal to the Supreme Court", one of his lawyers tried to persuade him. But Zviki has already understood that he has been caught in the claws of a monster. He now recognizes what he is up against. "What's the point?", he replied. It will only mean that in another two years I'll be in the same situation, but with bigger debts."
Zviki will be released in another six months. He will be an asset for any entrepreneur. He will study and work industriously and faithfully and will be better than others. "In another two years," I said to Yefen, "you will thank the Court for finding Zviki guilty. You will thank the CGS and the other spineless officers who turned their backs on him. You will thank them because without them Zvike would have stayed in the army, and wouldn't have realized even part of his capabilities. "
We shall in the end release the State from its captivity, and it will then need first-rate people like Zviki. It will thank them when it is released.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
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