[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Last week, in a modest ceremony which was held at the “Metzudat Edomim” Border patrol base, Jerusalem Police Chief Moshe Edri presented a certificate of merit and a medal to the Nachal Chareidi soldier who neutralized the terrorist attack at the Romeima neighborhood in Jerusalem a month ago. The ceremony was held with the participation of both President of the Nachal Chareidi Foundation, Rabbi Tzi Klebanow, and the Foundation’s director, Colonel (Res.) Yonatan Branski.

During the ceremony, the chief of district awarded the soldier with the Jerusalem district police pin and praised him for his actions and his rapid response, which allowed the neutralization of the terrorist. Further, Edri added that “Your actions met our expectations – To mobilize against the enemy and neutralize them. The most professional thing you did, in my opinion, is that you were also able to manipulate your weapon during the event. This is what we call an act of professionalism, an act of caring, and exemplary citizenship”. Edri also noted the courageous and determined activities of the Israeli policemen against terrorism and for the sake of public security, before thanking the soldier once again for his actions. “I would like to say thank you for what you did and for how you acted. You did a heroic act.”

Colonel (Res) Branski spoke at the ceremony saying that “This transition from zero to one hundred in a just one second while manipulating the weapon… is unfortunately something that is expected from every civilian and certainly from a ‘Netzah Yehuda’ combat soldier. I definitely think that you have brought a lot of respect to the battalion and that you serve as a personal example for many soldiers and civilians who happen to find themselves in scenes of terror attack. That is how they are expected to respond and it’s not obvious. A big yasher koach to you.”

Rabbi Klebanow added that “In the past we hosted the former minister of justice and lawyer Yaakov Ne’eman for dinner, who said that when it comes to “Kiddush Hashem”, ‘Netzach Yehuda’ and the ‘Nachal Chareidi’ have no competition. B’ezrat Hashem we will continue to do that. We started 30 years ago with just 30 soldiers and today, the battalion has almost 8000 graduates. We have recently opened our new Nachal Chareidi Foundation’s center on Bezalel Street in the city from which we are not only helping the transition into the army but also the transition from the army to the labor market. I invite you all to come.”

As mentioned, the soldier, whose name is not published due to security reasons, quickly acted and neutralized the terrorist who committed the vehicle and stabbing attack at the Romeima neighborhood in Jerusalem earlier last month. During the ceremony, the soldier told that he got suspicious after noticing that traffic has stopped on the street and that people were running in panic from the area. According to him, he got off the bus and approached the scene, where he noticed the terrorist trying to stab civilians. At one point, the terrorist noticed him and rushed to attack him. In response, the soldier cocked his weapon quickly and neutralized the terrorist within a few seconds.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photos & Video: Israel Police Spokesperson’s Office, Nachal Chareidi Foundation)