Golan Heights Settler and Father of Fallen IDF Officer Dies

Yoni Ben-Ari, a veteran settler in the Golan Heights and a resident of Moshav Nov, passed away on Sunday. He was the father of Major Hagai Ben-Ari, the commander of the Paratroopers' reconnaissance unit, who was critically wounded in Operation Protective Edge in 2014 and died from his injuries three and a half years later. Yoni and his wife Hani were pioneers in settling the Golan Heights, establishing their first home in the central Golan region. They married in 1975 and lived in pioneering conditions before permanent structures were built. The family later moved to Moshav Nov in the southern Golan, where they raised their eight children and became central figures in the community.

The family gained public attention following Hagai's severe injury on July 21, 2014, when he was hit in the head by sniper fire in Khan Younis during Operation Protective Edge. Hagai had left a family vacation with his wife and three children to rejoin his soldiers in battle. While he lay unconscious in the hospital, his brigade commander officially conferred command of the unit to him at his bedside. Yoni and his family cared for Hagai at their home for nearly four years, until his death in January 2017. During this period, Yoni was noted for his strength and family leadership.

At Hagai's funeral, Yoni shared their last WhatsApp exchange, recounting Hagai's wishes for the week to pass safely, a family vacation in Eilat, and for war to begin only after he had fulfilled his duties. Yoni spoke of Hagai's determination to fight despite attempts to keep him in the command post, leading to the fatal shot in Khan Younis.

In the years after his son's death, Yoni continued to memorialize Hagai's legacy through tours, lectures, and meetings in the Golan. In a 2018 speech on Memorial Day, Yoni expressed Hagai's constant presence in their lives, stating they didn't need official remembrance days to keep him in their hearts. He described how the family continued their lives, striving to overcome the immense pain and continue their activities.

Yoni Ben-Ari's funeral was scheduled to take place on Sunday at 3:00 PM at the regional cemetery in Hispin.