Azkireli, Amir

Amir, son of Franka and Eldad, was born on 23.11.1949 at Kibbutz Givat Brenner, and at the age of two, the family moved to Haifa and lived near the Rambam Hospital where his father worked as a doctor. Amir was drafted into the IDF at the end of August 1967. After completing basic training, he completed an artillery course and successfully completed a tank commander course in the central sector of the Suez Canal, where he spent many years in the War of Attrition. In the fierce battles conducted by the IDF’s armored forces against the Egyptians, Amir was discovered as an excellent gunner. He was an exemplary staff member and was the first to volunteer for actions, which required courage and extraordinary courage. During the War of Attrition, he was a partner in the bombing of the oil refineries in the city of Suez. He was credited with the drowning of two ships in the waters of Port Said. During his visits to the house, he tried to make as little of his experiences as possible, so as not to worry his parents, who knew little about the daring actions he had taken. At the end of August 1970, Amir was discharged from the regular army and assigned to a reserve unit of the Armored Corps. After being released from regular service, he went to Italy and studied electrical engineering for one year. In 1971 he returned to Israel and continued his studies at the Faculty of Engineering at the son of-Gurion University of the Negev in Be’er Sheva. He managed to complete three years of study until he fell. During the Yom Kippur War, his unit fought in the central sector of the Suez Canal. On the 9th of Tishrei 5734 (October 9, 1973), his tank battalion was set up in the Hamdiya compound and was subject to a large assault by the enemy. Amir’s tank, which included three other UAVs, climbed the ridge that surrounded the compound, in order to stop the advancing enemy tanks, and a large force of Egyptians awaited them with lethal fire. But Amir, who was left alone on the ridge and managed to stop the Egyptians, until he was hit and the four non-commissioned officers were killed. Amir was awarded the Medal of Honor for his work in this battle. He was brought to eternal rest in the Hadera cemetery. Survived by his parents and two sisters. After his fall, he was promoted to First Sergeant.