A 28-year-old Bedouin sergeant in the Israeli army who refused to divulge information to his Egyptian captors in the Yom Kippur War despite physical torture, will be awarded the Medal of Courage in ceremonies at the Knesset this week. Staff Sgt. Ibrahim el Turshan, a member of the Atrash tribe in the Araba region, will be the first Bedouin to receive the medal.
He was taken prisoner when the Egyptians overran the Barlev Line near the Suez Canal in the first stages of the Yom Kippur War. According to the citation, Turshan withstood the harshest forms of torture by Egyptian interrogators but would not provide them with any information and, in fact, insisted throughout that he was not a soldier. After he was repatriated, Turshan, who is married and the father of three sons, returned to active duty with the army. His was the only name released in advance of the award ceremonies. Six other soldiers will also receive the Medal of Courage.
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