Macknik, Edward (Eddie)

Ben Galina and Natan. He was born on February 11, 1979 in the city of Izhevsk in the former Soviet Union. Brother Liana. A sweet, sociable, beloved boy, whom Edie called all. In 1990, at the age of eleven, Eddie immigrated with his family from the Ukraine to Israel and they established their home in Be’er Sheva. Eddie studied at Amirim Elementary School, continued to the Merhavim Middle School in the Merhavim Regional Council and completed his studies in the Be’er Sheva Comprehensive High School in the real world. During this period he acquired many friends, who accompanied him until his last day and continue to maintain contact with his family even today. Eddie and his friends have created a cohesive social group with a unique style. They loved to spend time, dance and rejoice, and went on trips all over the country. Eddie’s great attraction to the army was discovered at an early age. This was evident in the games he used to play, the movies he watched, and the stories he liked to read. In his youth he also participated in karate. He dreamed of a military career, although he was aware of his medical limitations, which stemmed from vision problems. Nevertheless, he did not give in and went to great lengths to improve his physical fitness, practiced weight lifting and had a strong and muscular choice. At the beginning of February 1998, Eddie joined the IDF and was sent to the Erez crossing, where he was assigned to the magnetic crossing, but felt that he was not exhausting his abilities and began a series of struggles to raise his profile and attain his lofty goal of combat service. He served in the battalion at the spearhead brigade, completed a tank driver course, and took the battalion to Lebanon, but other medical problems that arose during the service forced him to give up the combat course and went on to an officer’s course and completed his professional studies at the government school. He studied Arabic through cassettes, and enriched his education in the field of citizenship and life The DCO’s 10-DCO liaison office in the southern brigade in Gaza was very well connected to the scene and asked to be there for the rest of his service, and his request was received and at the end of the officer’s course there, He was quickly integrated into the base and was favored by both the senior echelon and the junior echelon Eddie loved the base he had served for seven months and as it turned out, the army was the only love of his life. The dangers he faced or the fears he might have felt. On the contrary, he displayed pride and devotion to his unit and expressed his willingness to sacrifice himself for the role if necessary. On the 23rd of Cheshvan 5761 (23.11.2000), Eddie fell in the line of duty in operational activity in Gaza. That day he served as a duty officer. His soldiers testified that he took care of them very much that day, made sure that they had eaten and even released some of them to their home early. He sat in his office when some of his Palestinian colleagues began to leave the office. The Israeli soldiers did not understand what was happening, but one of the Palestinians warned: “Wear vests and helmets and run away from the office.” The soldiers and Edie, in their heads, went to the warning and went outside, but after a short time Eddie returned to the office to make sure there was no one left and papers. Then there was a huge explosion of a bomb that had been planted on the spot, which took his life, and he was twenty-one years old. Eddie was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Be’er Sheva. Survived by parents and sister. After his death he was promoted to lieutenant. Eddie will forever be remembered as a man who did not give up and did not give in to circumstances. In a moment of truth he showed courage and responsibility and proved his devotion to the army and to the country for which he had given his soul.