Capt. Harel Marmelstein

Sept 26, 2002 - Capt. Harel Marmelstein, 23, of Mevasseret Zion was killed while leading a search for wanted terrorists in the West Bank village of Labed near Tulkarem.

An officer in the elite Naval Commandos, Capt. Harel Marmelstein led a team of soldiers in a search for senior Hamas terrorist Nisa'at Talatin Jaber in the Tulkarem area. Jaber, on the security services' wanted list since 1999. In 1999 he was involved in two bombings in Netanya that injured 20 Israelis. In January 2001 he escaped from a Palestinian Authority prison. Since his escape, Jaber has been involved in numerous bombings and shooting incidents in the Tulkarem area and in sending suicide bombers for attacks inside Israel.

The firefight took place at about 6 A.M. in a wadi lined with olive trees. When a suspect was sighted a chase ensued, but he managed to escape under fire to the entrance of a cave. There he pulled an automatic rifle from its hiding place. Capt. Harel Marmelstein moved into the wadi to block the escape route of the wanted man and began moving toward the area where he was sighted. When the officer passed by the front of the cave, Jaber shot him. Harel was struck in the chest just below his shoulder, above his protective vest. He was evacuated in critical condition to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, where he died of his wounds. Nisa'at Talatin Jaber was gunned down by Marmelstein's squad. An explosive belt was found in his hiding place.

Harel grew up in Jerusalem where he attended the Rene Cassin junior high school. The family moved to Mevasseret Zion eight years ago, where Harel completed his high school studies with distinction at the Harel High School, excelling particularly in science and physics. He began his army service in the Air Force pilot training course, but then transfered to the Naval Commandos, where he became an officer. He was to have continued his army service, and hoped to combine it with academic studies.

His friend, Eyal Sofer, said that Harel was a very quiet type. When he began his active service in the Naval Commandos, his father cautioned him to be careful. He replied, "What do you mean 'be careful'? I'm a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces" - meaning that he felt he did not have the right to be careful for himself.

Capt. Harel Marmelstein was buried in the military section of the Mount Herzl cemetery. He is survived by his parents, Ya'acov and Liora, and three younger sisters - Limor (20, Roni (17) and Gili (12).