Yaakov “Yaki” Hetz, a fighter in the 66th Battalion during the Six-Day War, recipient of the Medal of Courage, winner of the Israel Defense Prize and a torch-lighter at Israel’s 69th Independence Day ceremony, died Tuesday at the age of 80. He was considered one of the heroes of the Battle of Ammunition Hill.
The late Yaki Hetz, born Haymovitz, was 21 during the battle for Ammunition Hill and became one of the symbols of the historic fighting for Jerusalem. During the battle, after his platoon commander Yoram Elyashiv was hit, Hetz took command of the force and continued leading his comrades under heavy fire. He was awarded the Medal of Courage for his bravery and conduct in battle.
Hetz also fought in the Yom Kippur War. Forty years later, he received a special citation for his role in the fighting at the Chinese Farm and for rescuing wounded soldiers in the field while risking his own life.
His story did not end in the trenches of Ammunition Hill. Over the years, Hetz became a figure in defense development and innovation, and as part of his work at Rafael he took part in developing advanced weapons systems.
Yaki Hetz lectures before the General Staff Forum at Ammunition Hill in 2012
(Photo: From "The Heroic Site")
Among other things, he conceived the idea that led to the development of the “Maoz” system, an advanced attack drone used by IDF troops. The idea grew out of his personal experience as a fighter at Ammunition Hill and from his desire to give future soldiers capabilities that were not available to him and his comrades in 1967.
In 1982, he received the Israel Defense Prize for his defense work, and in 2017 he was chosen to light a torch at the official Independence Day ceremony.
Alongside his military and technological achievements, Hetz devoted himself to heritage, education and remembrance. For decades, he worked to preserve and pass on the story of the fighters for Jerusalem, meeting generations of young people and recounting the battle and the stories of his comrades-in-arms.
In 2023, he published his autobiography, “Baptism by Fire,” in which he described the battle from his personal perspective.
A letter sent by Yaakov Hetz to his family on the second day of the Six-Day War:
(Photo: Ammunition Hill Archives)
(Photo: Ammunition Hill Archives)
Hetz’s story of heroism is commemorated at the Six-Day War Museum at Ammunition Hill, which preserves the story of the war, the battles for Jerusalem and its reunification, and the personal stories of the fighters. His testimony and personal story are part of the legacy passed on to visitors and future generations.
For Ammunition Hill, Hetz was far more than one of the heroes of the battle. He was an integral part of the site’s extended family, one of the generation of fighters who transformed it from a battlefield into a living center of remembrance, heritage and education.
Menachem Landau, chairman of the Ammunition Hill Association, eulogized him: “Yaki Hetz was an inseparable part of Ammunition Hill — not only as one of the heroes of the battle for the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem, but as a man who devoted his life to action, creativity and passing the legacy on to future generations. Yaki was a man of many talents, with vast knowledge, a youthful spirit and endless curiosity. For us, he was far more than a fighter and an Israeli hero — he was family, a partner on the journey and a dear friend.
“His story of heroism is commemorated at the Six-Day War Museum on the hill, but his legacy lives far beyond the museum walls. Today we part from a man whose life story is intertwined with the story of a united Jerusalem, and whose image will continue to accompany us and future generations. Ammunition Hill bows its head at his passing, shares in the family’s grief and painfully bids farewell to an extraordinary man who combined heroism, humility, creativity and a deep commitment to the State of Israel and to future generations.”
Yaakov 'Yaki' HetzPhoto: From "The Heroic Site"Yoav Turgeman, CEO of Rafael, also paid tribute. “The late Yaki Hetz represented the unique Rafael connection between operational experience, engineering thinking and technological vision. He knew how to identify a need on the battlefield, imagine a solution long before the technology made it possible and lead the idea until it became a meaningful operational capability," he said. "His courage and heroism earned him the Medal of Courage, and his innovation and engineering excellence earned him the Israel Defense Prize. The legacy he left behind at Rafael and throughout the defense establishment is one of innovation, determination and, above all, action for the protection of soldiers. We at Rafael will continue to carry his legacy with pride. May his memory be a blessing.”
Dvir Bashan of Yokneam and a member of Mishmar HaEmek also eulogized him.
“Yaki received a citation as a fighter in Brigade 55 in the heroic battle at Ammunition Hill during the Six-Day War, after which he returned to the army and, in the Yom Kippur War, fought as an officer in the terrible battle at the Chinese Farm. For most of his adult life, he worked at Rafael developing weapons systems. As a company commander in the Meitar unit and to this day in the reserves, I was repeatedly exposed to the IDF’s advanced anti-tank array, which for many years was a ‘game changer’ in the army’s preparations for full-scale war, and Yaki was truly at the forefront of its development," according tgo Bashan.
“From many conversations with Yaki, it was clear that he acted out of a personal and national vision, that ‘he who seeks peace must prepare for war,’ and that IDF soldiers should be able to cope better on the battlefield than he and his comrades could with the means available to them. As a son of the moshava, we grew up on his legacy and heroism, but also on the human and family legacy of him, Hani and their eight children — an exemplary family, welcoming and hospitable, always gracious, committed and devoted to ‘Kfar HaHarig’ and its people. Four of his children built their homes here in our regional council.
“Yaki saw passing on the legacy of battle and its lessons — the choice of meaningful service and love of country — as supreme values, and he gave hundreds of lectures at schools, pre-military academies, officers’ courses and elsewhere. Alongside everything he did, everyone will attest that Yaki was, first and foremost, a family man. Yaki was not only part of the landscape of our childhood, our region and our homeland, he was also a man thanks to whom many returned, and continue to return, home safely. May his memory and his life’s work be a blessing.”