Putting the battle comrade on pedestal! Israel Honors India’s 1971 war hero Lt.Gen J F R Jacob

News Bharati    02-May-2019
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Jerusalem, May 2: India has a glorious history of brave soldiers. India always outshines in battles because of her brave soldiers. Now, the world honored the contribution of Indian valor. On Tuesday, Israel honored Lt.Gen (retd) Jack Farj Rafael (JFR) Jacob, who negotiated the historic surrender of Pakistani troops in Dhaka after 1971 Bangladesh’s Liberation war, with ‘Plaque on the Wall of Honour’ at the Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem.

Lt. Gen. Jacob, who died in 2016 at the age of 92, was one of the most eminent members of India’s rather small Jewish community, serving as a Lieutenant General in the Indian Army and later as a Governor of two Indian states-Goa and Punjab.

The Wall of Honour at the Ammunition Hill pays esteems to the heroism and courage of Jewish soldiers who fought in the defense of their countries they lived in “implementing values of bravery, loyalty, commitment and dedication to a mission, leadership, creativity, camaraderie, and sanctity of life”. 

“The Wall has plaques honoring more than 340 people comprising privates, high ranking army officers, women, front line fighters and humble members of supporting units who embodied these virtues”, said a senior official at the Ammunition Hill.

Ammunition Hill was a fortified Jordanian military post in the northern part of Jordanian ruled East Jerusalem. It was the site of one of the fiercest battles of the Six Day War in which 21 Israeli soldiers were killed. It is now a national memorial site where young soldiers and officers are inducted into the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and salute the flag.

The 90-feet high structure with a flag was donated by an Indian Jew, Sam Marshall, who also started the move to honour Lt. Gen. Jacob at the Ammunition Hill Wall of Honour, in association with India-born Jewish Judge, Abe Sofaer of the US, who was the personal legal adviser to former US Secretary of State George Shultz.