Updated: 23 march, 2008

Israel

• Medals and Decorations of Israel Yair Malchi

• Medals and Ribbons (IDF)

• Medals of Israel Megan C. Robertson

• Israeli Police Medals and Ribbons - Official Website 

• IEPE entry on Israel Ed Haynes

• Regional Commander Appreciation Medal Anyone having additional information, please email me.

• IDF to award 12 soldiers bravery citations (Twelve soldiers who fought in Operation Defensive Shield will receive citations for bravery from OC Central Command Maj-Gen. Yitzhak Eitan at a ceremony in Jerusalem this evening. Two of the awards are being granted posthumously and will be handed over to the families of Staff-Sgt. Menashe Hava and Capt. Kobi Azulai, who were killed when they fought to rescue wounded soldiers ambushed by Palestinian terrorists in the Jenin refugee camp. The 10 other soldiers who are to be cited for their determination and courage during Operation Defensive Shield are Maj. (res.) Baram Segev, Senior Warrant Officer Richard Awizrat, Capt. Tomer Tsiter, Sgt. Shenior Alfassi, Sgt. Ron Margalit, Maj. Nimrod Aloni, Capt. Alon Madanes, Capt. Ron Vardi, Capt. Kfir Cohen, and Capt. Ofir Levy) (Jun 02)

• LtGen Shaul Mofaz (Biography and photo wearing ribbons) (Nov 02)

• Former IDF chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. (res.) Shaul Mofaz Photo wearing ribbons (Nov 02)

• Orders, Decorations, and Medals of Israel Antiques A to Z

• Research on Palestine and Israel - King's College London Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives) An introduction to the Centre's holdings on Palestine and Israel.

• Medals for the War of Attrition This week's government decision to grant a campaign ribbon to all the soldiers who served in the War of Attrition, on all fronts and in all armed forces, finally corrects a long-standing offense against them. During that war - Israel's fourth - 918 soldiers and civilians died and some 4,000 were wounded. The War of Attrition was unique in many ways, and not only because of its lengthy duration - from June 15, 1967 until the August 8, 1970 cease-fire. (Nov 02)

• Medal for Col. Ramon IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon has decided to award a posthumous award to Col. Ilan Ramon, the Israeli astronaut who perished aboard the Columbia spaceship two months ago. The award is not a battle medal, as he did not die in combat or while on an IDF mission, but is rather a unique decoration recognizing his honorable representation of the Jewish people in front of the entire world. The Chief of Staff's medal was awarded to Ramon, the IDF announcement stated, in recognition of “the manner in which he represented Israel and the IDF, expressing boundless love and loyalty to his heritage and to his people. Arutz Sheva, Israel - 3 Apr 2003

• Naval commandos awarded for bravery Israel Navy Commander Maj.Gen. David Ben Ba'shat awarded commendations of bravery to three naval commandos, one posthumously, for the resolve, determination and bravery they displayed during an operation to arrest wanted Palestinian fugitives in the Ein Bet Ilmeh refugee camp near Nablus last July. Capt. Moran Vardi, 25, was killed and three other naval commandos in his team wounded when they walked into a trap prepared by two wanted fugitives who opened fire on the troops before they were shot and killed. Vardi was a member of the team that captured the Karine A weapons ship in January 2002. jpost.com 3 Apr 05

• Border policeman's bravery rewarded A Border Police officer received the Itur Haoz award for bravery from Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon. This is the second highest medal awarded in the IDF. Superintendent Y., has participated in dozens of undercover operations to arrest wanted men in the West Bank, and in several instances was involved in close-range exchanges of fire, killing his adversaries. The award, rarely granted, was given to him for his leadership, valor and dedication to his missions. The third-highest award, Itur Hamofet, was granted to the reconnaissance unit of the Givati Brigade, led by Lieutenant Colonel Ofer Vinter, for its combat activities in the Gaza Strip last year. During that year, the unit made dozens of incursions deep into Palestinian territory. Two other units - the Egoz unit of the Golani Brigade and the Duvdevan undercover unit - also received citations from Ya'alon for their operations in difficult combat conditions in 2004. haaretz.com 13 Apr 05

• The Red Army women celebrate victory Dora Nemirovski, left, and her friend Raisa Sinitzina, wearing their Red Army medals from the war against fascist Germany. A few dozen elderly Red Army veterans of the war against Germany gathered in a small hall on a side street in Herzliya a week ago. They attended a ceremony at which medals, which were issued in Russia to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the victory over the Nazis, were awarded everyone who had fought in the Red Army ranks. haaretz.com 8 May 05

• Polish sisters honored for saving Jews in Holocaust Three residents of Lower Silesia, the Kowalczyk sisters, are receiving the Righteous Among Nations medals. The honorable title is given to those persons who risking their own lives helped save Jews during the Holocaust. It is a custom that each recipient of the medal has an olive tree planted in a special commemorative alley in Jerusalem with their name and country of origin on it. The Righteous Among Nation medal is the highest Israeli distinction granted to civilians. The Kowalczyk sisters are receiving it at the White Stork Synagogue in Wroclaw, the capital of the south-western Lower Silesia region. polskieradio.pl 7 May 06

• No time for medals The IDF, for all its faults, isn't an army of medal wearers. A favorite put-down among soldiers for someone getting a bit too big for his boot is "hold on, the truck with the citations is on its way." Another favorite military saying is that "medals are given out to cover monumental mistakes." While senior officers in foreign armies go around with dress uniforms groaning with medal ribbons, most IDF generals have a single ribbon, the 1982 Lebanon War campaign medal. Against this background, it seems a bit out of touch for Defense Minister Amir Peretz to urge Israelis Monday to "look at the full half of the glass." The reason for the optimism? "There were battles in which soldiers proved themselves heroes and there will be lots of citations." Peretz might not be aware of the fact that citations are given out by the chief of General Staff and are not within the purview of the minister, but it's hard not to sympathize with the defense minister's need for some instant positive publicity. Giving out medals, on the other hand, might blow up in his face. Given the current mood among the reservists, someone might just turn him down. jpost.com 29 Aug 06

• Turkish-Born Armenian Returns Medal Following Genocide Bill Israeli citizen Yuda Yagbes reacted to the French parliament’s passing of a bill that would make it a crime to deny an Armenian genocide by sending back his 1965 certificate and medal of “Merite Civique,” which France awards to those who represent the country best. Yagbes, 94, was born in Turkey and immigrated to Israel in 1980. Condemning France’s attitude, Yagbes commented that he never understood why the country showed so much concern for the issue. He said he felt very comfortable with his gesture, and added that if any problems occur it is strictly between Turks and Armenians. As to why he returned his medal, he replied he was born in 1912 in Izmir where he served in the army; and when a fellow Turkish recipient decided to return his medal, he was inspired to do the same thing. zaman.com 7 Nov 06

   
• Lebanon war hero up for IDF's top medal Maj. Ro'i Klein, deputy commander of the Golani Brigade's Battalion 51, who was killed during the Second Lebanon War, has been nominated by the IDF to receive its highest medal, the Medal of Valor. The medal has not been awarded since the Yom Kippur War. Klein, a husband and father of two from Eli in Samaria, was killed July 26 during a battle in Bint Jbail, southern Lebanon, with Hizbullah fighters. During fierce clashes, a grenade was thrown at a force led by Klein. According to soldiers who witnessed the incident, Klein threw his body over the grenade and absorbed the blast, saving his soldiers' lives. He mustered the strength to shout "Shema Yisrael," traditionally recited by Jewish martyrs. Seven other soldiers from the battalion were killed during the battle. The Medal of Valor was last given to Brig.-Gen. (res.) Avigdor Kahalani for his service as commander of Armored Battalion 77 during the Yom Kippur War. Only 41 Medals of Valor have been awarded since the establishment of the state. The Medal of Valor is the only medal awarded to a soldier by the defense minister. jpost.com 25 Mar 07
• US immigrant soldier honored for bravery in Lebanon Yehuda Werdesheim, who immigrated from the US to Israel in order to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), has been nominated to receive a Citation of Excellence for his outstanding bravery during one of the Second Lebanon War's most fierce battles last summer. Originally born in Israel, Werdesheim moved to Milwaukee with his family when he was just a baby. But as he neared graduation from high school, Werdesheim's parents urged him to return to Israel and enlist in the IDF, he told The Jerusalem Post. With just one year of his three-year mandatory service left, Werdesheim's paratrooper battalion was one of the first sent into Lebanon following the July 12, 2006 cross-border abduction of IDF reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev by Hizballah terrorists. One of Battalion 101's first stops was the village of Ayta A-Shayeb, site of some of the war's fiercest and most bloody fighting. israeltoday.co.il 10 May 07
• 142 honored for Lebanon War action One-hundred and forty-two soldiers who fought in the Second Lebanon War were chosen by an IDF committee to receive medals of valor and citations of excellence for the courage they displayed during Israel's war against Hizbullah last summer. IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi authorized the final list of soldiers, including 38 who will be awarded their citations and medals from the chief of staff himself. The remaining soldiers will receive their medals from regional and division commanders. The final list was compiled by a committee headed by Maj.-Gen. Yishai Beer, until recently president of the IDF Appeals Court. Ashkenazi will also award four citations for fallen soldiers, including Maj. Roi Klein, who will receive the Medal of Valor. Klein, who was deputy commander of Golani Battalion 51, was killed in Bint Jbail when he jumped on a grenade to save the lives of his fellow soldiers. The medals will be given to the families of the fallen soldiers. Ashkenazi will award the citations during a ceremony in Tel Aviv on September 2. jpost.com 8 Aug 07
• Heroes of the Second Lebanon War Yehonatan Wolsiuk ran forward to help carry a wounded soldier in Maroun al-Ras, Itai Steinberger shielded a fellow paramedic from shrapnel while they were evacuating casualties from an exposed hilltop, neither made it back from the war. Both are nominated for citations of valor. ynetnews.com 21 Apr 07
• 'This wasn't about bravery but doing what needed to be done' They treated hundreds of wounded soldiers during the Second Lebanon War and saved numerous lives. Trained as doctors and not as combat soldiers, the Nahal Brigade's medical personnel fought courageously, not with guns but with a scalpel and an intravenous drip. Under Brigade Commander Col. Miki Edelstein, the Nahal was sent to Lebanon at the beginning of the war and took part in some of the most difficult battles against Hizbullah, most notably the Battle of the Saluki, the last push to strike the guerrilla group before implementation of the UN-backed cease-fire. When the war broke out on July 12, 2006, Dr. Yehuda David, 53, was on a family vacation in Greece, with plans to continue on to Croatia and France. A surgical orthopedist and a major in the reserves, David immediately returned to Israel, contacted the IDF and was assigned to the Nahal Brigade's Battalion 932. He spent the entire war inside Lebanon and treated more than 50 wounded soldiers. Next month, he will receive a Citation of Excellence from OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Gadi Shamni. He is being honored not for a particular act of bravery but rather for consistent dedication and self-sacrifice over close to 30 years in the IDF reserves. Most recently, David saved the life of a Nahal company commander in Nablus several months ago. Lt. Erez Ramati is another doctor receiving a citation. He served the duration of the campaign with Battalion 931, which suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of the Saluki. On August 12, 2006, Battalion 931 began climbing a hill up to the Lebanese village of Randuriya. Ramati's company engaged dozens of Hizbullah guerrillas who were holed up inside village homes. The company continued up the road until it encountered a reinforced Hizbullah position and came under heavy fire from antitank missiles and machine guns. An entire Nahal squad was either killed or wounded. "My medics and I began treating the wounded when suddenly another company's commander ran over and said there were soldiers who needed help on the other side of the intersection," Ramati says. "The only problem was that to get there we had to run through the intersection, which was totally exposed to Hizbullah fire." With bullets passing him in all directions, Ramati sprinted across the intersection to a wall. When he stopped he noticed that cables from two antitank missiles that had been fired at him were hanging from his helmet. "I had one second to decide what to do, and without much thought I got up and ran after the company commander," he said. "There was no time for hesitating since there were people who were wounded and they needed me. This was not about heroism or bravery but about doing what you need to do." Then there is St.-Sgt. Michael Hibner, a point sharpshooter in Nahal's Battalion 931. Hibner, 22, will receive the Medal of Distinguished Service for rescuing a comrade during heavy clashes with Hizbullah in Randuriya. Hibner and his squad had taken shelter in a building in the village when a grenade landed nearby and exploded, flinging one of his comrades out into the open, several meters away. Under heavy fire, Hibner ran from the shelter, grabbed his comrade's vest and dragged him back to cover, saving his friend's life. jpost.com 29 Aug 07

• France bestows Legion of Honor Award upon head Yad Vashem chairman Avner Shalev received the prestigious Legion of Honor Award from the French president, and is set to receive the Prince of Asturias Award in Spain. Several weeks ago, Avner Shalev the head of the Yad Vashem Museum discovered that French President Nicholas Sarcozy had decided to grant him the prestigious Legion of Honor Award for his outstanding achievements at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. "This prestigious honor is awarded to you in recognition of your outstanding work in preserving the memory of the Holocaust throughout the world. This is reward for a man of patience and peace who has turned Yad Vashem into a center of learning for the younger generations from different backgrounds," the French president wrote in a letter that was passed on to Shalev by the French ambassador to Israel Jean-Michel Casa. ynetnews.com 25 Oct 07

• Citation for bravery for Golani officer in Gaza skirmish Golani Captain Nitai Okshi, a company commander, will be awarded a citation for bravery for his actions in an encounter with Palestinian gunmen near the Gaza border fence last July. The citation will be awarded by Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant, head of the IDF's Southern Command. Okshi and a force under his command were alerted to an area near the border fence following reports of suspicious activity in the area. Upon arrival, Okshi spotted two Palestinian gunmen lying in wait several feet away. Together with another officer, Okshi charged at the gunmen while shouting commands to the soldiers behind him. Suddenly, Okshi noticed the proximity between one of the gunmen and his soldiers. Yelling at them to take cover, he charged the Palestinian militant. As he advanced towards the gunmen, he realized that he no longer had any ammunition left in his rifle.  But despite being bare-handed, he continued to rush towards the armed man, who was preparing to throw a shrapnel grenade at the officer. However just before the grenade exploded Okshi managed to tackle the militant and shield himself from the blast, with the gunman's body absorbing the impact of his own grenade. ynetnews.com 21 Dec 07

• Aharon Barak to receive French Legion of Honor Medal Former Supreme Court president Professor Aharon Barak will be awarded the French Legion of Honor Medal in a ceremony that will take place Wednesday at the home of French ambassador to Israel Jean-Michel Casa. The French embassy announced that the distinction, which was also bestowed in the past on personages such as Moshe Dayan, Shimon Peres and Amos Oz, will be awarded to Barak for his contribution to "furthering equality between all citizens of Israel." "I thank the president of the [French] republic for this honor, and consider it an expression of the tightening of ties between the judges of France… and the judges of Israel," Barak said. jpost.com 26 Feb 08
• Sarkozy tells Peres France is Israel's true friend France was and always will be Israel's true friend, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told President Shimon Peres as the two leaders met in Paris. "The State of Israel's right to exist securely is not debatable, and I believe that since the Holocaust the world bears the responsibility for this. I will continue to support Israel anywhere, as I did in my previous visits to Arab states," Sarkozy added. During the visit, Peres received France's highest award, the Legion of Honor. ynetnews.com 10 Mar 08
• History of the IDF - Details on wars and operations. IDF Website