Declassified tapes allow rare glimpse of Yoni Netanyahu's valor

The Defense Ministry and IDF Archives on Monday released rare recordings of the radio communications made in the course of a heroic rescue mission carried out during the 1973 Yom Kippur War by Lt. Col. Yoni Netanyahu, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's brother.

The mission saw the Golan Heights rescue of wounded tank battalion commander Yossi Ben-Hanan from enemy fire. Yoni Netanyahu was awarded the IDF's Medal of Distinguished Service for his actions. He was killed during Operation Entebbe less than three years later.

Ben-Hanan was wounded after his tank was hit by Syrian fire. He was pulled out of the tank by crew member Zvika Rosenzweig, who dragged him to a nearby location, which was still under threat by Syrian forces. A rescue mission under Netanyahu's command was dispatched to retrieve both.

The tapes allow for a rare glimpse of the operation, with the voices of then-7th Armored Brigade Commander Avigdor (Yanush) Ben-Gal, then-division commander Rafael Eitan, and Netanyahu. At times, the low-quality recording makes it difficult to distinguish between the speakers.

"Yossi, Yanush here. ... Give me cardinal directions. ... We sent you a doctor," Ben-Gal's voice is heard over the radio. "They're [the rescue party] riding in an APC [armored personnel carrier] and will make the final approach on foot."

Later, Eitan's voice is heard requesting a rescue helicopter to the area.

"This is Yoni. What direction is the shooting coming from on the road-" Netanyahu asks. "This is Yoni. ... From where is the gun shooting? From where is he [Ben-Hanan] taking fire-"

When no one answers, Ben-Gal is heard saying, "Yossi, can you answer Yoni, over-... Yossi, answer him. Yossi, answer him."

Moments later, additional attempts are heard over the radio to guide Netanyahu's force to the right location.

"Listen Yoni, drive down the road. ... Drive until you get to our vehicle at the end. Someone's waiting for you to show you exactly where, over," says Ben-Gal.

Later, he says, "Yoni, Yossi is calling you! Answer him."

Netanyahu: "Yossi, it's Yoni. Where are you in relation to the dark fire-"

Ben-Gal: "Yoni, don't go according to that fire over there. There are many fires. Do what I tell you, drive on ..."

Netanyahu: "I'm doing that anyway, don't worry."

After more words are exchanged, Ben-Gal is heard saying urgently, "Yoni, Yoni. Yossi is calling you. Answer him."

Netanyahu: "I don't hear him."

Ben-Gal: "Yossi tell me, I will tell Yoni."

Ben-Gal to Netanyahu: "Yoni, if you are located in a plain take a kilometer east of the vehicle on the right, over."

Netanyahu: "I didn't catch that. Just a moment, I'll see if my friend caught that."

Later, Ben-Gal is heard telling Ben-Hanan: "Yossi, keep your head down. They'll get to you soon. Don't worry. We have a guy who knows exactly where you are. He'll join Yoni, they know where you are. ... There's no problem recognizing you, don't worry. We are doing everything we can."

Soon after, Netanyahu's voice is heard suggesting, "Listen ... I can approach two, two and a half kilometers from the spot where Yossi is. I'll need to start walking then. This means I have two and a half kilometers on the way there, and let's say a kilometer on the way back as it'll already be dark. Maybe it's best I approach as close as possible, after that it'll be dark so I'll get inside the APC. What do you think-"

Ben-Gal: "Negative. Advance now and don't disembark. Advance, I think you can advance another kilometer."

Netanyahu: "This means I'll stop around a kilometer from the road and continue by foot. The place he's [Ben-Hanan] located at is around a kilometer from the road, I think."

Ben-Gal: "Okay. Do it all at a run, we don't have another choice."

Netanyahu: "Okay, if it's 200 meters from the road I'll drive another kilometer from the road and come to take you out, Yossi. Yossi, no worries, I'm taking you out soon."

Afterward, Netanyahu is asked to get a spot ready for the helicopter landing. Ben-Gal says, "Yoni, 20 [Ben-Gal's codename] here, over. ... I want to land it now next to you, where you are right now. Make all the landing preparations, over."

Netanyahu: "Copy, I can land it here with me. ... Our tanks are situated south of us, so we won't be worried."

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