Abu Zalaf, Omri

Ben Agama and Samih. He was born on 16 February 1972 in the Druze village of Usfiya. Omri attended the state elementary school in Isfiya, the state junior high school and the Ort Usfiya high school, where he passed his matriculation exams. In his youth, Omri was active in the community center and worked with the youth at the site, representing the Isfiya community center in sports competitions, ballet soccer and the village team. Omri excelled in the Druze dance and went to France with a local band. He also loved acting and theater and performed in plays that took place in village events. He is one of the organizers of the sports days, Mother’s Day, marches and fundraising activities. He was a quiet, slightly sensitive guy who used to write and record experiences and events in his diary. Omri was very attached to his family and made every effort to help his parents during the agricultural season. At the beginning of August 1990, Omri was drafted into the IDF, where he was assigned to the Infantry Corps, completed his basic training with honors, completed a military training course and continued his combat course in the Infantry Corps course. He went to a combat paramedics course and, at the end, returned to his unit to serve as a combat paramedic. On 27 June 1992, Omri fell during his service. He died in an accident when he leapt toward a dilapidated tractor with three children. Omri could not stop the tractor. He perished and the three children were lightly injured. He was brought to eternal rest in the military cemetery in Isfiya. Survived by his parents, three brothers – Imad, Shadi and Kamal and sister – Afifa. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, the unit commander wrote: “Omri was highly motivated and did his job very well: in activities in Lebanon and during training.