1st Lt. Tal Zemach

Mar 19, 2002 - 1st Lt. Tal Zemach, 20, of Kibbutz Hulda, was killed and three soldiers were injured when Palestinian terrorists opened fire on them in the Jordan Valley.

Two Palestinian gunmen arrived at the IDF training area near the Hamam Al-Maliah hot springs at the northern end of the Jordan Valley at around 1:30 A.M. Tuesday. The soldiers, members of an elite unit conducting advanced training in the area, camped out in sleeping bags. The gunmen succeeded in getting within 10 meters of the encampment before opening fire, killing 1st Lt. Tal Zemach and injuring three soldiers, one seriously. Both gunmen, carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles, ammunition clips, and fragmen

Tal Zemach was born and grew up in Kibbutz Hulda. A paratroop officer, he was a company commander in an elite IDF unit.

Amoz Peleg, secretary of Kibbutz Hulda, said that Tal was an excellent student, and was gifted at sports. He was an avid fan of the Hapoel Tel-Aviv soccer club, and had come home last Thursday to watch the team's televised win against Milan. "We thought he was in a safe place, in a basic training camp, a place where you aren't suppose to come in contact with the terrorists. The whole kibbutz was proud of him - both because of the unit in which he chose to serve, and because of his rank as an officer," said

1st Lt. Tal Zemach was buried in Kibbutz Hulda. He leaves behind his parents David and Malka, his sister Nitzan (24) and brother Nir (17).