St.-Sgt. Yosef Talbi

June 19, 2002 - St.-Sgt. Yosef Talbi, 20, of Yehud 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

Yosef Talbi grew up in Yehud, where he graduated from high school. The youngest in his family, he had served for just over a year and a half in the Nachshon Brigade and completed a commander's course. Eyal, a childhood friend, described him as tall and handsome, who never complained. During Operation Defensive Shield, he did not disclose to his parents that he participatedin the combat in Kalkilya.

St.-Sgt. Yosef Talbi was buried in Yehud. He is survived by his parents, Moshe and Tamar, his brother Meir and sister Tova.