Sgt. Major Yoni Beck, 22, has a share of military glory from participating in one of Israel’s major defensive actions.
As a member of what he called Israel’s “naval special forces,” and what the Israel Defense Forces web site calls the “Naval Commando Flotilla,” Beck helped capture in January 2002 the Karine A, a ship loaded with some 50 tons of weapons and explosives illegally bound for Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian Authority.
His is an elite unit, equivalent to the U.S. Navy SEALs, and because of that, Beck is not allowed to be photographed. (In fact, Beck trained with the SEALs for two weeks last July in Virginia Beach, Va.)
Yet Beck didn’t want to talk so much about the Karine A during an interview at the local offices of the Development Corporation for Israel/State of Israel Bonds. Instead, this soft-spoken and serious young man wanted to talk about “the most difficult experience” he has had during his military service.
Though in Israel’s navy, Beck’s unit also operates on land within the administered territories to arrest or kill terrorists. Last September, his unit was sent after a Hamas terrorist leader, Na’ashat Taltin, who was hiding in a West Bank cave near Tulkarem.
Two teams went after Taltin, Beck’s and a younger one led by one of Beck’s former teammates who had become an officer, Captain Harel Marmelshtein, 23. They found the cave and in a gun battle killed Taltin — but Marmelshtein was badly wounded.
As one of his jobs on the team, Beck is “first aid assistant.” He, another assistant and a physician tried to treat Marmelshtein, and they called in a helicopter to take him to a hospital. In spite of their efforts, Marmelshtein died on Sept. 26.
“It was very difficult for us” in the unit, said Beck, and the unit was relieved to sit shiva at the home of Marmelshtein’s parents. But “the moment that was done, we had another mission,” Beck said. “The longer we wait, the harder it would be to keep on fighting. It is not over.”
So why is he willing to tell such a painful story? Because “it is very important to talk to the Jewish community and all Americans,” Beck said. “People should know what is going on in Israel. Not all that you see on CNN is true. I can give a first source witness.”
Moreover, “It helps us to know that people are interested and care,” he said. “It is good for me to come back [to my unit] and say that people care about us…. It strengthens us.”
That is why Beck agreed to be one of 14 members of Israel’s military and police forces to participate in Operation Maccabee, a project of the Israel Bonds organization. They recently have been visiting cities all over the country to provide first-hand accounts of Israel’s struggle against terrorism.
In Milwaukee, according to local Israel Bonds associate director Judith C. Kaplan, Beck’s schedule in Milwaukee March 13-16 included meeting with bonds investors and the local bonds organization’s campaign cabinet; visits with Nicolet High School Hebrew students and with the middle school students at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School; and visits to Congregation Beth Israel and Anshe Sfard Kehillat Torah.
Development Corporation for Israel/State of Israel Bonds works to advance Israel’s economic development through the sale of securities to individuals and institutions; the funds raised thereby go to help build aspects of Israel’s economic infrastructure.
For more information, call 1-800-253-2779.
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