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Israel Hails New War Hero

April 26, 1974
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Israel hailed a new hero today, a 30-year-old Moroccan-born father of three, Rahamim Amzaleg, who worked non-stop for nearly 40 hours to bull-doze an 8 1/2 kilometer access road up the slopes of Mt. Herman, under Syrian shell fire over ice and rocky terrain. Amzaleg, an employee of the Jewish National Fund’s heavy equipment company, was demobilized from active military duty only a month ago.

He was asked to do the dangerous job and readily agreed on one condition–that he be redrafted into the army. Soldiers cheered when his bull-dozer reached the 9200-foot peak of Mt. Hermon where Israeli forces have been entrenched for two weeks under constant Syrian barrages and air attacks. The new road is being used to bring re-enforcements of armor and equipment to the height. Amzaleg told reporters of his ordeal. “For six kilometers I fought the ice and the last two and a half were even more difficult. There were rocks and canyons,” he said.

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