Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., February 03, 2008 Shvat 27, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:37 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 13:03 27/01/2008 Yeshiva counselor who killed terrorists lives to tell the tale By Nadav Shragai Tags: Terror, Israel, Hamas  Elyakim Kovatch, a 10th-grade counselor at the Mekor Haim yeshiva in Kfar Etzion, says he does not remember the sound of shots from his gun, which killed the two terrorists who broke into the institution Thursday evening. "In my memory, the incident is like a silent movie," he said Friday. Kovatch described the attack, which came after six counselors gathered at 9:30 P.M. for a meeting in the small room of the yeshiva's library, along with the principal of the boarding school, Shmueli Greenberg. "About three quarters of an hour later, two figures entered the room. They looked like security guards. In the first few seconds they didn't look suspicious to us. Greenberg even managed to greet them with 'Good evening,' and then they came closer, to a distance of about two meters, pulled out knives and a handgun, and in Arabic-accented Hebrew said: 'Everyone stand back in a line.' Advertisement "At this stage, I still thought this was a joke. Only when I saw the counselor Rafael Singer draw a weapon, I got that it's real. The two terrorists jumped on Singer and stabbed him in the chest. I moved a little backward. It was all a matter of seconds. I loaded a clip in the gun, waited for there to be some distance between Singer and the terrorists, and shot one of them, who was wrestling with him," Kovatch said. "The terrorist flew toward the door and was still twitching and trying to get up. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Shmueli fighting with the other terrorist. He grabbed the terrorist's hand, which was holding a gun. The terrorist tried to get loose. Again I got some distance between us and shot him too." Another counselor in the room, Asa, said they did not realize immediately that the men were militants. "It took us several seconds to come to our senses and then some of the counselors jumped on them," he said. When it was all over, the two terrorists "lay sprawled on the floor, bleeding, with knives in their hands," Kovatch added. "We didn't wait any longer. We fled outside - both the wounded and also those who were unhurt." Kovatch, 24, from Jerusalem, began working at Mekor Haim a year ago. He is a graduate of the capital's Hakotel hesder yeshiva, and served as a combat soldier in the paratroops. "In recent months the yeshiva's security director trained us for just these sorts of scenarios - abduction attempts, terrorist takeovers of buildings, and so on. These training sessions, the last of which took place two days before the terrorist incursion, helped us to handle it," Kovatch said. But, he said, "when the real thing happens, nothing is like what you worked on." Kovatch played down his role. "The real miracle was that someone from above directed the terrorists to the library, where there were people trained to operate weapons, and not to the area nearby, where there were many pupils. Without the courage of Singer, Greenberg and the other counselors, we would not have finished the incident in this manner. It was everyone's heroism and initiative," he said. After the event and on Friday morning the atmosphere at the yeshiva was festive. Pupils kept shaking their counselors' hands and thanking them. The yeshiva head, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, was welcomed with singing and dancing when he came there a few hours after the attack. Steinsaltz said he was proud that the counselors "did what had to be done with great wisdom and courage." Bookmark to del.icio.us   60 years later The JNF is reportedly planning to commemorate demolished Palestinian villages. Mika and Amy Mika says he would like to work with Amy Winehouse on her 'Jewish album'.   1.   Terrorists, terrorists, terrorists..... 14:47  |  David James Vickery 27/01/08   2.   Inspiring 15:47  |  Shloimele 27/01/08   3.   Kovatch for PM ! 16:18  |  Boruch 27/01/08   4.   To #1 David 16:24  |  Avi Ben Zvi 27/01/08   5.   Please do not comment 16:45  |  Andrew 27/01/08   6.   Shragai has real hutzpah... 17:19  |  common sense 27/01/08   7.   Meretz calls for Rav Elyakim Kovatch arrest 17:53  |  Binyamin Dissen 27/01/08   8.   David James Vickery 18:16  |  rich 27/01/08   9.   #7 Meretz... 18:16  |  Titzi 27/01/08   10.   `Militants`? 18:45  |  Motic 27/01/08   11.   wot unlikely hero? 19:05  |  D Hirod 27/01/08   12.   A Story straight from Tanach 19:20  |  Yechiel 27/01/08   13.   Vickery # 2 now theres two good palestinian terrorist,dead ones 19:59  |  terrornator 27/01/08   14.   Scoundrels Mazuz and Aharon Barak would surely like to indict him 20:12  |  Absolute Sweden 27/01/08   15.   Good Going 06:43  |  Philip Saenz 28/01/08   16.   Bless the warriors 14:22  |  Jeff Skocilich 01/02/08   17.   Vickery`s comments 07:50  |  Nigel Blumenthal 03/02/08   18.   Please thank those that trained the teachers 00:21  |  Yisroela 04/02/08

Today Online Barak: We urgently need a fence along Egyptian border Responses: 214 IDF commander gets 15 months in prison for W. Bank rampage Responses: 77 U.S. Methodist Church renews drive for divestment from Israel Responses: 224 Report: JNF parks to mark demolished Palestinian villages Responses: 73 Al-Qaida claims attack near Israeli Embassy in Mauritania Responses: 37 For all the excitement, very little has changed in the Gaza Strip Responses: 37 More Headlines 01:18 PM backs relaxing criteria for Shalit prisoner swap 00:08 IDF troops kill Lebanese man in cross-border shooting 21:26 Shin Bet: Militants smuggled advanced arms into Gaza Strip 19:43 Egypt: We won't tolerate further attempts to breach Gaza border 20:43 IAEA chief brushes off concern over Arab nuclear development 01:07 JNF to erect signs in parks, citing destroyed Palestinian villages 22:17 Brothers jailed for plan to set fire to cars during Gaza pullout 18:37 MKs slam Barak decision to remain in government despite campaign pledge 21:02 Histadrut chair warns of strike if gov't does not boost dollar 00:05 3 IDF troops jailed for exposing themselves to Palestinians 20:39 Brig.-Gen. Udi Dekel appointed to head PMO negotiations staff 17:14 Mika: I want to work with Winehouse on her 'Jewish album' Previous Editions Select Day 03 feb 01 feb 31 jan 30 jan 29 jan 28 jan 27 jan 25 jan 24 jan 23 jan 22 jan 21 jan

Special Offers Advertisement Touro College Israel New semester begins January 23. Bachelors and Masters Courses in Jerusalem. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer Inbal Jerusalem Hotel Unbeatable rates at the Finest hotel in Jerusalem Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations SUPER-TUESDAY U.S. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY U.S. citizen resident in Israel vote Democrats-Abroad Global Primary in-person Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved