IDF weighing citation for Halamish hero soldier
Commanders for SSgt. 'A' are praising his calm and professional conduct in preventing the Halamish terror attack from leading to more deaths; will be recommended for Chief of Staff citation.
SSgt. 'A', 22, is a soldier in the IDF's elite Oketz canine unit, was on leave at the time of the attack, lives near the Salomon family in Halamish.
After hearing the screams of the family being attacked the terrorist, 'A' grabbed his weapon, identified the terrorist through the window and fired one bullet at the assailant, neutralizing him.
The idea for the citation came following the results of the investigation, which highlighted his role in saving lives in the attack. In addition, this is the second time SSgt. 'A' has been involved in such a situation.
Three years ago, in the same community, a terrorist managed to break into the home of another family in the community before 'A' trapped the terrorist inside and called security forces to the scene.
"On Friday night, during a dinner with the family, we heard shouts from the neighbors' house," said 'A' while recounting the moments of the attack.
"My father and I went outside to see what was happening. When we saw that we were dealing with a more serious situation, I ran inside and grabbed my weapon. I stood outside the house and saw the terrorist from the window.
"I understood that I had to be cool and professional. I shot once and hit him in the stomach. I tried to focus on the fact that in the little that I did, I prevented something much more serious from happening."
