Palmah Fighter Yaakov Zrihen's Remains Found 78 Years After 1948 Battle

After nearly 78 years of uncertainty, the remains of Palmah fighter Yaakov Zrihen were discovered. Zrihen fell during the 1948 War of Independence in the battle over a convoy near Kastel on April 20, 1948 (11th of Nisan, 5708). Born in 1925 in Casablanca, Morocco, he distinguished himself early in life, gaining skills as a driver and mechanic after completing elementary school. In 1947, driven by his desire to immigrate to Israel, he arrived aboard the ship "The Breakers," which brought Holocaust survivors and other immigrants during the struggle for statehood.

Zrihen initially trained at Kibbutz Ramat Hakovesh and later joined the Palmah combat forces. Serving as a driver, he was deployed to the Jerusalem front amid intense fighting to reach the besieged city. On the day he fell, he was traveling with a convoy near Kastel when he was hit by enemy fire. His fate remained unknown for decades until the recent discovery of his remains, allowing for a proper burial and honoring of his memory.