The Israeli police will award a host of officers as well as a number of civilians for helping to save lives during various terror attacks in the past year.
The ceremony, which will be held at the National Police Academy in November, is scheduled to be attended by President Isaac Herzog, while marks of honor will be personally awarded by Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai. At least 70 officers and five civilians are set to be honored.
A rabbi, who asked to remain anonymous, will receive a police decoration after he neutralized a terrorist from east Jerusalem, who attacked two Border Police officers. The rabbi noticed the militant attacking the soldiers and assisted in taking him down.
The police say the terrorist stabbed one of the officers in his head, and a fight broke out between the two, while other officers moved to help. The rabbi drew his personal firearm and shot the terrorist. For his bravery and saving the lives of the officers, he will receive a decoration from the commissioner.
Ofir Rachamiel and bus driver Arthur Chaimov, who took down terrorist Mohammad Abu al-Kiam who killed four people in Be’er Sheva in March of 2022, will also be honored. Chaimov drew his firearm and shot the terrorist even as he attempted to stab him. Rachamiel arrived at the scene at that time, and shot the terrorist.
At the time, police seized Rachamiel’s firearm for ballistic analysis and later refused to return it to him, drawing outrage from the public.
Adir Basino is another civilian who will receive a police decoration after saving the life of a 12-year-old boy who was trapped on the fourth floor of a burning building in Rishon LeZion, along with another police officer.
Basino, along with the officer, climbed to the roof of the burning building where they noticed the boy with his head outside a window. Basino found a rope and threw it at the boy, telling him to tie it around his waist, and the two then pulled the boy onto the roof, saving his life.
Israel Caesar will receive the fifth decoration, after he neutralized a terrorist on a bus in March 2022. During the drive, Caesar noticed the terrorist stabbing one of the passengers with a screwdriver. He drew his weapon and fired at the assailant, preventing harm being done to more people.
The police said the commissioner personally contacted each of the civilians to inform them about the decision to honor them.
“I’m proud to have five civilians receive decorations for their assistance to the police force in order to save lives,” Shabtai said, “whether it be neutralizing terrorists in Be’er Sheva, Jerusalem and the West Bank, or in rescuing a boy from a burning building.”