The remains of an Israeli soldier who fell during the 1948 War of Independence have been uncovered, the military announced on Wednesday.
Pvt. Yaakov Zarihan was killed while serving in the supply convoys to besieged Jerusalem, and his burial place remained unknown for decades.
An investigation that lasted roughly 15 years, led by the IDF’s Missing Persons Unit, has found that Zarihan was buried in a mass grave in the Harel Brigade Cemetery at Kibbutz Kiryat Anavim west of Jerusalem alongside seven other IDF soldiers who took part in “Operation Harel.”
The MPU decided to establish a special team in 2024 to analyze historical records, interview witnesses, conduct soil analyses and carry out archaeological surveys for the Zarihan file.
The 23-year-old participated in a convoy of approximately 300 vehicles and armored cars that set out for Jerusalem on April 20, 1948. Zarihan was killed in battle with Arab forces in the Sha’ar Hagai area along with 13 other members of the convoy. He was buried on April 22, the IDF said.
On Tuesday night, Brig. Gen. Edna Ilya, the IDF’s Chief Human Resources officer and head of the Casualties Division, paid a visit to members of Zarihan’s family, including his sisters, informing them of the resolution of the decades-long mystery.
A state military ceremony in Zarihan’s honor will be held at the cemetery in Kibbutz Kiryat Anavim in the coming weeks, the IDF noted.
Zarihan immigrated to Israel from Casablanca, Morocco, in December 1947 as part of the Habonim youth movement. On April 12, 1948, he enlisted in the Transportation Service and was assigned as an operational driver to the IDF’s Etzioni Brigade.
