Thousands mourn IDF officer and soldier killed in Gaza
Major Eliraz Peretz's best friend: We will avenge your death against those who hurt you.
By Anshel Pfeffer, Nir Hasson and Yaniv Kubovich Tags: Israel news Gaza IDFThousands attended the funerals on Sunday of Major Eliraz Peretz and Staff Sergeant Ilan Sviatkovsky, the Israel Defense Forces officer and soldier killed during a shootout with Gaza militants.
Peretz and Sviatkovsky were killed Friday while pursuing a group of Palestinian militants trying to lay mines near the border fence. Two other soldiers were wounded in the incident, and two militants were killed.
Peretz was buried on Sunday morning at the military cemetery on Mt. Herzl in Jerusalem, and Sviatkovsky was laid to rest at the military cemetery in his hometown of Rishon Letzion.
Peretz died 12 years after his older brother Uriel was killed in an operation in Lebanon in 1998, having, too, served in the Golani Brigade.
Friends and family gave heartwarming speeches during the funeral, praising Peretz.
"Sometimes I felt that he was so perfect, that he was a guest in this world - a kind of angel," said Rabbi Rafi Peretz, the head of Eliraz's prepatory religious school. "You filled me with pride to be in your company, and you respected men who don't know fear. Uriel and Eliraz - how the heroes have fallen," said Rabbi Peretz.
Rabbi Eliezer Kashtiel, the rabbi from Eliraz's neighborhood, also praised him. "You took in the children of Major Roi Klein as your own. You lived in houses side by side, houses that some may call 'illegal,'" said Rabbi Kashtiel. "You are rising above to meet Uriel, dad, and more friends. You are rising with all your energy and vivaciousness. Pray for your family, and give them strength."
"The skies cried on Eliraz Peretz: The little prince died. An angel departed from this land. Beloved land, you are receiving a precious man," eulogized Peretz's best friend, Yehuda Ish-Shalom. "You had so much to live for. You were in love with Shlomit, the kids, and in Israel. You loved living. Don't you worry, we will avenge your death against those who hurt you." Ish-Shalom concluded his statements with a reading of the poem 'The little prince."
The Brigade Commander of Golani, Colonel Avi Peled, also said goodbye to Peretz. "I want to thank you for what you were - the torch at the head of the camp," said Peled. "Thank you my brother, we will continue your way of commanding soldiers and defending the nation."
As the rumors of Peretz's death began filtering in over the weekend, his mother Miriam locked all the doors of the house as if trying to stave off the bitter news.
"He was a mother's boy," Mrs. Peretz said of Eliraz. "He was a loving boy, a boy who had set up a family of his own in Israel."
The Peretz family had lived in Sharm-el-Sheikh (then Ofira) before the eviction of Sinai in the 1980s. "We suffered the pangs of peace when they took us from our homes, but now Eliraz has paid the price of war," said Mrs. Peretz. "There's no mother, here or on the other side, who wants to lose her children."
"I didn't send him to die. But my boys are always in the lead. He's an officer, and an officer must set an example. If he's called to rescue and fight it's clear he must be first. He went so that I and the rest of the people of Israel can live here. Our boys died for everyone."
As a son in a bereaved family, Eliraz needed his parents' permission to serve in a combat unit. When the permission was given, Mrs. Peretz said that Eliraz wrote to his father that "after years under your care, it's time for me to leave.
"You gave my life flavor and color, and you taught me how to walk the path. Now I'm going to build a home in Israel, like you did, father, and I hope my children will be at least as good as your children are. You agreed to sign this permission for me. I have put you and mother to the test."
Eliraz's father died five years ago, from what his relatives said was a broken heart. The family was hoping to hold its Seder night celebration at a hotel in Ariel.
"They already booked places, they were talking so much about it, they wanted this family gathering so much," said one of the relatives mourning Eliraz, Avi Bar Yosef.
Eliraz, 31, who lived in the settlement of Eli, is survived by his wife Shlomit and four children, the youngest of whom is 3 months old. "He would never let the kids play war games," Bar Yosef said. "He would say that one combatant in the family is enough."
Twenty-one-year-old Staff Sergeant Ilan Sviatkovsky of Rishon Letzion was supposed to be discharged from the Israel Defense Forces in six months and had already begun to plan a trip to India with his older brother, Arik.
"He loved the army and especially loved being in the Golani," Arik recalled. "Two days ago he told me he finally wasn't a rookie soldier anymore, that he was one of the vets and would no longer do any routine jobs like guarding - just operational activities. He wanted to finish his service with operational work," Arik said.
"We spoke a few days after Operation Cast Lead, and he said it had been frightening, but he was ready to go in again to drive the terrorists away."
Just before leaving for what turned out to be his final operation, Sviatkovsky updated his Facebook page with the status line, "Last Saturday in Gaza." On Saturday, his friends flooded the page with messages, turning it into a virtual memorial
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Family of Eliraz Peretz mourn at his funeral on Sunday. |
| Photo by: (Getty Images) |
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more young israeli soldiers will die if peace is not accomplished .
terrible loss for israel .maybe more would face same destiny if peace is not accomplished soon .my condolences to the grieved families .
"You expect the IDF not to pursue these people into Gaza?" Exactly. The IDF have no business in Gaza. Keep out and they won't be killed.
For all you people saying he wouldn't have died if he hadn't crossed into Gaza or he deserves it because he crossed into Gaza... you forget to mention the fact that they only crossed into Gaza to go after terrorists who were planting mines on the border You expect the IDF not to pursue these people into Gaza? Stop leaving out facts
..they might not be mourning a son today... When are those people going to see and understand there is an inverse relationship there. When the Palestinian people are free of their army's tyranny over their land (at a point of a gun) and regulating their lives their childrens futures will be more secure also. Dutch
..they might not be mourning a son today... When are those people going to see and understand there is an inverse relationship there. When the Palestinian people are free of their army's tyranny over their land (at a point of a gun) and regulating their lives their childrens futures will be more secure also. Dutch
they had become part of the courageous Israelis who have refused to seve in the occupied territories or if they had not crossed into Gaza where all they did was to stir up more enmity toward Israel. Lets stop the killing. Too many have died. Far more on the Palestinian side have become victims of Israel than the other way around. End the occupation. Get out of the territories. Other wise this senseless killing will go on and on and on ...........
it is easy to talk about peace or someone who died.but i clearly know that no one can suffer like mothers of those people are killed.. it doesnt matter if that person is an israeli or palestinian.. they all suffer ..so dont waste your time to try to eep peace and fix that problem which is never changing for almost one hundred years
Most Israelis no longer care about the occupied territories especially after building the wall that separated them from the Palestinians and the enactment of a law that forbids them from visiting it, as far as they are concerned the West Bank is as far as the Ukraine. Israeli governments of all colors, labor, likud and kadima facilitated the colonization of the occupied territories and created a 500,000 headed monster called the settlement enterprise. Eventhough most Israelis would gladly trade the territories for genuine peace, the multi-headed moster would rather see Israel go out in flames before giving up their squatered homes. Israeli governments by choice or necessity are unwilling to confront them even if such policy would endager the special relationship between Israel and its biggest benefactor the United States.
Is coming big time.
Sgt Sviatkovsky died from a bullet or bullets that hit a handgrenade attached to his vest. The problem is that we can't tell if this is another case of "friendly fire" by the IDF or whether the bullet came from a Hamas gun. In either case, of course, this makes his death no less tragic.
Yes, this could have been avoided had the Arabs accepted the 1947 UN Partition Plan and there would have been an independent Palestinian State these past 60+ years. Somehow history has been twisted to place the blame on Israel for the failure of the Two State Solution.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! No to israeli Expansionsim policy.
lose in your side? if you kill,you maybe also killed! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
People go to streets and make all see that we are all naive. to the families i feel what you feel. Peace NOW"" Please tell this to your arrogant unrealistic israeli leaders. Stop EXPANSIONSM Give a chance for PEACE!
The hell with the Arab League and the hell with the Islamic Conference, they are not suffering. Israelis and Palestinians are the ones who are losing their love ones and do all the suffering. If israel and pals get to make peace a reality, forget about the others.
Don't you see how false and perverse are all your self-sainthood posts? Go to the Pope and ask him what does he know about false saints like you!
Israeli and Palestinian leaders must have enough courage and stop this stupid bloodshed! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
those soldiers were not the first israelis to lose their lives and will not be the last. israel has to stop its STUPID policy of expansionism and give a chance for PEACE! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
It's time to put settlers on the touch, dismantle illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and launch peace negotiations. Let's show Gazans that the West Bank is gonna be free to take the path to prosperity, and they will reject Hamas at last. Lives are equally precious, no matter whether there are Israeli or Gazans. Time for peace.
Don't kill in order not to be killed. israeli life is as important as a Palestinian life. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
The families on all sides are suffering ... but lets not forget the suffering of Long occupation of palestinians. everyone must force a end to suffering of any kind of any side. its unfortunate to see any mother cry for the loss of her son. but this problem is clearly not isolated since the IDF makes many mothers lose there sons and makes many mothers suffer. so lets stop the suffering of any kind and the occupation and move to better standing for all
Stop killing innocent Palestinians and you will not be killed. give peace a chance!
No israeli nor Palestinian deserve such stupid way of death. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! No more bloodshed.
You always comment how bad was for the "others" in funerals? Black cat or bird of bad omen?
israeli has to suffer the loss of a beloved one. Palestinians have lost hundreds of thousands of their beloved innocent men,women and children. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! give a chance for peace!
In memory of major RIP Eliraz Peretz הקבוצה בפייסבוק לזכרו של הסמג"ד אלירז פרץ ז"ל הי"ד http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=113762998634067&ref=ts
Even if the Pals would desire peace or if the Israelis would make peace gestures, then the Arab league would prevent that.and if not the Arab league, then the Organization of the Islamic Conference would condemn the peace effort.
It is really sad that any human loses his life specially a very young one. Revenge is not the answer , peace is the real answer that spare precious lives on both sides, revenge brings more death and more missiry on both sides. Those who call for revenge obviously don,t appreciate the pain of the mothers crying their hearts out on both sides.Wise politicians and peace loving leaders is what we need on both sides. Israel is the stronger party and it can make peace as its primary objective.
At this rate, the conflict will never stop! Get to your senses!
Far too many posters to this site assert that what is clearly conjecture or opinion is absolute proven fact. The statement that antisemites are over-represented in the Irish population is one of these. I was hoping for some sort of statistical support for the view, but none is forthcoming. In all honesty, one could go from year end to year end here without hearing an antisemitic remark. Historically, since independence, Ireland's treatment of the small Jewish population (5000) has been second to none. Apart from the famous Briscoe family - 75 years continuous service in Parliament, for periods a further 2 Jews served in the Dail simultaneously. One of these was Minister for Equality and Law Reform for two terms. Since about 1930, I doubt if more than 2 years, if any, elapsed without Jewish representation in the Dail. When the Knesset can boast an equivalent record please let us know - they don't have to be Catholics we'll settle for Maronites. No Irish army personnel serve in Gaza.
You are a shining example of Man's (and I repeat MAN'S) ability to rise above his base and instinctive nature where he acknowledges each individual for who they are. Your words will surely bring comfort. I hope that soon there will be peace in Iraq because all this shameful death we thrust upon each other is an afrontation to G-d.
Sound analysis, thank you!
5th march 1975 colonel uzi yaairi heard about the palestinian attack on the savoy hotel.he was a former commander of the matkal.he rushed to the site and was killed in combat. uzi was a commander of the paratroops at the chinese farm battles in october 1973 where he lost many of his men.that i think scarred him. israel flourishes because of the sacrifices made by many senior officers.
A man with the name "Ish Shalom"(man of peace) calls for vengeance.... The guy should remember what his name means. Sad to hear him using hamas speech... may more people have the attitude of Dr. abu Elaish that lost his daughters in Gaza. Mr. Ish Shalom should change his name to "Ish Nekama"... (man of vengeance)
Because other than abduction it's difficult for Paedophilic Priests to get hold of young Jewish kids. Try the death of the Messiah Jesus at the hands of the Italians who miraculously metamorphisised into Yids. BTW Asians are the new Jews in many parts of the World.
If we stay away we might not see this..but if we keep doing what we are doing we will see more of this
According to the pervereted logic of many in Israel this is in fact correct, because Obama represents a occurence of the threat that always causes a upswing in violence, the threat of Peace. Israel will no sit still while this greatest of all threats, the Mother all all Existential Threats, is planted anywhere near its borders.
Those holy boys were in Gaza because your friends were laying bombs to kill. Israel left Gaza but that wasn't enough for the bloodlust of the Gazans and their Hamas masters who cannot stop their murdering and kidnapping. Don't tell me about Palestinian mothers when they raise their children to murder Jews. They don't deserve to breathe the air of these holy Jewish boys.
Condoleances to the families on both sides.The madness and suffering have to stop.Peace is the only wise and viable solution.A visionary leadership is urgently needed.
there were many debates in teh idf decades ago at the idea of very senior officers leading combat troops.barlev was heavily involved in this exchange of ideas. during the war of the chases in the west bank when fatah was the target israel lost colonel ari regev.this opened a huge argument in the idf.is it wise to put senior officers at risk? the answer is probably "yes" the schoolboy soldiers need experienced men with them.
they have now passed the torch tp the kyppot srugot.the religious jews.their commanders tell us they are the most motivated part of the idf. still we will always remember the kibbutzniks.i remember in particular the sarig family who lost many sons.may the peretz family flourish.
bless you.and may the memories of your sons the fighters be a blessing.
Take this anguish and multiply it by 5000 times, then you may reach the pain felt by Palestinians in the past 3 years alone. Every death is a tragedy, not just the Jewish ones.
Wish the family strength and patience. I wish you peace without blood and loss of loved ones. From the whole heart, I send my condolences..
While dehumanizing the Pales is a shameful act. The article goes into heart wrenching details about the families of the IDF, what about the families of the Pales that were killed while on their land...May be the next time around, the IDF will not act as rogue cowboys and lives will be saved on both sides
Is there any Leftist - at all - that will call this Peace Now action sick?
המקום ינחם אתכם בטוח שער עבלי ישראל
the irish military officer associated with the goldstone report said the following: hamas fired no more then three rockets at israel. there are more antisemites in the population of the republic of ireland then would be found anywhere else in the world. the fact that they are now bankrupt has made things worse.
I am just wondering what would happen if some people from Gaza would try to get across fence to Israel even without weapons.They would be shot on the spot with no hesitation...two young lives are lost anyway, we know their names and faces while thousands faceless suffer behind the fence
most of the terrorists and Hamas guy are too bad, they celebrate when an Isrëli is killed, such a shame to celebrate killing, Israël is the opposite
No more war, no more heroes of the war, let make peace and love, ana
settlers, religious Zionists.
When a Palestinian crosses the fence, or even comes near the fence, the IDF considers him a target to be killed. One example: Last week the IDF unit opened fire on what they thought were Palestinians and killed other IDF men. As it turns out, the IDF shooters had no idea what they were shooting at, except that the target was thought to be Palestinian. On the other hand, the IDF feels privleged to cross the fence in order to hunt Palestinians any time they like. In this case, IDF men crossed into Gaza, which was then defended by Palestinians. The moral is, when you cross the fence, you put your life in the balance. This goes for Israelis too and not just Palestinians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTu-AUE9ycs their use of women children and the elderly
care to justify your numbers and provide your smoking gun evidence?
"Friends and family gave heartwarming speeches during the funeral" Well it's heartwaring that his mother acknowledges that mothers on both sides cry for their sons whose deaths achieve so little in the ling run. That should be the beginning of peace on both sides. "Don't you worry, we will avenge your death against those who hurt you." I can't say I find that very heartwarming. More chiling really seeing as how it's a promise of more death and destruction. That's what you expect at a Hamas funeral. Bit of a shame you get it at IDF ones as well.
A new movement "Revenge Now" is being organised during this days, as opposite to the late "Peace Now" .
I beg the leaders of Israel to make Peace now. How many more lives have to be lost untill these leaders-Israeli and Palestinians finally will end the violence. Ok let us be all naive if this means to make peace now. People go to streets and make all see that we are all naive. to the families i feel what you feel. Peace NOW
Mourn all the Men, Women and Children killed because we as human beings, cannot live side by side with each other. Today we mourn the death of an Israeli, tomorrow Palestinian, both equal in the eyes of G-d both deserving of a life and an opportunity to achieve their potential as Human beings. Watch when Israel goes under, and it will sometime. Watch how the coin shifts and World opinion sides with the Jews whose heads by then will be on public display for all the children of Gaza to see and celebrate. Make PEACE NOW ISRAEL I despair.
Why would anyone make any mother cry out her children? Israeli as well as Palestinian mothers have cried throughout this deadly conflict. Israeli people should urge their governments to make peace instead of sending their sons to kill other families under the label of Israel's security. Israel's security will never be maintained by the threatening the security of others, and Pals security is no less than Israel's. Security can only be maintained by mutual respect and recognition by everyone to live in peace, dignity, and indecently.
This all could have been honourably avoided in 2002 by accepting the Arab League Peace Initiative.
"if we have to die then let it be only in the service of israel and the jewish nation."shlomzion
"if we have to die then let it be only in the service of israel and the jewish nation." Just remember that there are people on the other side who also say "if we have to die then let it be only in the service of Palestine and the Palestinian nation". Let's all think about sacrificing for peace and not war!
"And now it starts.Their blood is on Obama`s hands." Sorry, jeffery, but Obama has no control over the IDF. The blood of dead soldiers is on the hands of their high commanders. I would blame Obama for all the dead American soldiers in Iraq & Afghanistan - of course only from the day that he became commander in chief. In either case, people like yourself should always ask why these poor soldiers are sent to such places? Are they really defending their homeland?
i wonder why they went there in the first place. palestians were planing bombs in thier land so why the hell those soldier went inside? please wake up people..whay about those kids dying every day in Gaza? blame bibi for he is relaxing in his office while others dying for nothin and for what cause i dont know?
brings to mind a recent book we were soldiers then and young. if we have to die then let it be only in the service of israel and the jewish nation.
Gaza is not a bed of roses for IDF unlike west bank, if they went to kill people this is legitimate that the killers are killed. predators are hunted, no surprise and some innocent Gazan lives are saved.
has at least 2 or 3 family members killed by these troops as well...
And now it starts.Their blood is on Obama's hands.