Maj.(res.) Tamir Masad

Oct 27, 2002 - Maj.(res.) Tamir Masad, 41, of Ben Shemen was one of three IDF soldiers killed in a suicide bombing at the Sonol gas station at the entrance to Ariel in Samaria while trying to prevent the terrorist from detonating the bomb.

Tamir Masad had been called up for reserve duty. Until recently, he had served as company commander in the Golani reconnaissance unit. This time he was posted to guard duty in the seamline area. He and his soldiers had just completed three days of training and were waiting at the Ariel gas station for transportation to new postings when the suicide bomber arrived on the scene.

"They told us he ran towards the terrorist, who looked suspicious to him, and together with a third person they caught the terrorist's hands to stop him from detonating the explosive vest," said Tamir's father Giora, a brigadier-general in reserves. "After a shot was fired at the terrorist, the explosives went off and Tamir, who stood very close to him, was hit." In addition to the three killed, about 20 people were wounded in the blast.

Giora said he was not surprised by his son's courageous behavior, for Tamir was brought up on these values.

Masad took part in the Beaufort battle in June 1982 during the war in Lebanon. He commanded a combat team, some of whose members were killed, and after his commanders were hit took command of the operation. At the time his picture appeared on newspaper covers and television, as the young soldier briefing then Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Defense Minister Ariel Sharon about the previous day's battle.

Tamir was born and raised in Kibbutz Kfar Masaryk. His grandparents were among the founders of the kibbutz. Several years ago, he and his wife Orly moved to Moshav Ben Shemen. Tamir worked as an electronics engineer in a high-tech company.

Maj.(res.) Tamir Masad was buried in Kfar Masaryk. He is survived by his parents, Yehudit and Giora, his wife Orly, and their three children: Ro'i (14), Guy (12) and Dan (4).