IDF Veteran Reunites With Fallen Comrade From 44-Year-Old Battle in Sultan Yaakov
Rabbi Yosef Yaguda, head of the regional rabbinical court in Haifa and former tank gunner, expressed deep emotion upon learning that the remains of his comrade Yehuda Katz, missing since the 1982 Battle of Sultan Yaakov during the First Lebanon War, were finally found. Yaguda, who fought alongside Katz in adjacent tanks that night, described the discovery as a "complete closure of 44 years," expressing gratitude to the Israeli authorities for their efforts to recover Katz's remains after decades.
Yaguda and Katz had known each other since 1978 when they studied together at the Kerem B'Yavneh Hesder Yeshiva and served in the Armored Corps. Yaguda praised Katz as an exceptional individual, both intellectually and personally. During the battle, Yaguda recalled hearing an explosion near his tank but only later learned from the tank driver Yehuda Kaplan that Katz's tank had been hit, resulting in Katz's death.
The battle was marked by chaos and a Syrian ambush from the hills above, trapping the Israeli forces on a dead-end route known as the Mikha Road. Yaguda recounted the harrowing retreat under fire, during which his own tank was damaged and a nearby crew member was killed. Despite the trauma, Yaguda and other veterans have continued to commemorate their fallen comrades annually.
The recovery of Katz's remains brings a measure of peace to Yaguda and the families involved, allowing Katz to finally be buried in Israel. Yaguda emphasized that while the pain of loss remains, the return of Katz's remains is a significant and meaningful act for all Israelis.
Summary: Rabbi Yosef Yaguda, who fought alongside Yehuda Katz in the 1982 Battle of Sultan Yaakov, emotionally welcomed the recovery of Katz's remains after 44 years, marking closure for the long-missing soldier and allowing his burial in Israel. The battle involved a Syrian ambush that trapped Israeli tanks, resulting in Katz's death and years of uncertainty for his comrades and family.
