IDF Major Hagai Ben Ari, z’l, was laid to rest Wednesday afternoon in the cemetery of the Jewish community of Nov, in the Golan Heights, where he lived with his wife and children.
The officer had suffered mortal wounds at age 31 during Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014 while fighting the Hamas terrorist rulers of Gaza, and was hospitalized in a coma — a state in which he remained until late Tuesday night, when he passed away at his home in Nov.
Prior to his injury, Ben Ari was set to be promoted to commander of the Elite Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit – a position he was awarded after his injury, albeit symbolically.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eulogized the elite commander Wednesday in a statement on social media:
“I received tonight with deep sadness the news about the death of Major Hagai Ben Ari. Hagai was the salt of the earth, a courageous fighter, and an esteemed commander. His last position was in the elite Maglan unit, where he was a commander. He was critically wounded during Operation Protective Edge while he was fighting with the Paratroopers Brigade.
“From the time of his injury, we hoped and prayed that Hagai would recover and return to his loving family, to his wife Moriah and his three children. To our great misfortune, this hope vanished yesterday. My wife and I would like to send our condolences to Hagai’s family in the name of all the people of Israel. May his memory be a blessing, and may his name be rooted in our hearts forever.”