Maj. Shlomi Cohen

June 19, 2002 - Maj. Shlomi Cohen, 26, of Rehovot was killed in Kalkilya when Palestinian gunmen opened fire while the soldiers were in pursuit of two terrorists inside a building.

At about 6 P.M., a small group of soldiers entered a house in southeastern Kalkilya to arrest the local head of the Palestinian Authority's military intelligence service, who is believed to have been involved in terror attacks. An armed Palestinian - apparently the wanted man himself - was waiting in ambush at the top of the stairs and opened fire at the soldiers from close range. He also hurled hand grenades. Maj. Shlomi Cohen, the company commander, was mortally wounded and died of his

Shlomi Cohen graduated from the De Shalit high school in Rehovot. After completing an officer's training course, he was appointed company commander of an elite unit in the Nachshon Brigade. He was to have completed his army service in another week.

Maj. Shlomi Cohen will be buried in Rehovot. He is survived by his parents, Aliza and Shimon, his twin sister Ronit, his brother Barak (24) and his younger sister Chen (23).