Security personnel slain by terrorist laid to rest
Hundreds pack into Be’er Ya’akov Military Cemetery to bid final farewell to Border Policeman Solomon Gavriya who was one of three security guards shot to death by Palestinian terrorist in Har Adar; 'Nothing prepared me for this. I never believed it would be the love of my life,' says girlfriend in eulogy.
Delivering her eulogy in tears, Gavriya’s girlfriend explained how she had learned of her loss.
“Words cannot describe how much I loved you and just what a great person you were. This morning I woke up to the difficult news. I received a notification about a terror attack on the news in Har Adar,” she recalled.
“Two words I feared the most were on the screen. I continued to look, and I saw there was an attack in which three guards had been killed by a terrorist. Nothing prepared me for this. No one taught me how to live with a loss like of such magnitude. I never believed it would be the love of my life,” she continued.
“The man who everyone knew there was no one like him, it didn’t matter in what field, you were always the best, the most helpful, the most distinguished, the most you; just you. Friends, family and especially I cannot believe that this is real. How can such a flower be uprooted?”
“Only you know what I am going through. How can I go on without you, tell me. You were boundlessly loyal and loved. Even in your job you never complained...my hero. I want to believe that this is just a bad dream.”
The two other casualties in the attack were civilian security guards Youssef Ottman, 25, of Abu Ghosh and Or Arish, 25, of Har Adar.
You made Aliyah from Ethiopia in 1999. You comrades tell of a frank, modest person who helped others. You carried out your job with endless determination and always lent a hand to others,” Alsheikh began, before praising Gavriya for insisting on returning to complete his military service after recovering from an injury sustained during another terror attack in October 2016.
“You were injured but you couldn’t handle the fact that your friends would bear the burden. That is how you were.”
Concluding his remarks, Alsheikh promised that terrorism would not succeed. “We will get anyone who tries to harm our civilians. I salute you.”
Youssef Ottman’s funeral also took place in Abu Ghosh after prayers services were held in a mosque. From there, attendants escorted Ottman’s coffin to the local cemetery.
Ottman's cousin was murdered in a 1997 terrorist attack in Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda Market. Issam Ottman, Youssef's father, said his son was familiar with the terrorist who took his life.
Youssef’s funeral was attended by Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev (Likud) and Opposition Chairman Isaac Herzog.
“We woke up to a horrible morning for the family and friends and for civilians. Two people went to work—one was good and the other was bad. One loved life and the other came, with a weapon to murder,” Regev said. “What a huge difference between the two. The prime minister has said that we will destroy the terrorist’s home.”
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Yishai Porat, Itai Blumenthal and Elisha Ben Kimon contributed to this report.
