Jerusalem-resident Ezra Yachin has witnessed nearly every war the modern state of Israel has fought since 1948. He has also seen the deadly Holocaust in 1933. The memories of each war and him serving as a reservist in Israel Defence Forces, IDF, are razor sharp. The 95-year-old, battle-hardened veteran ordered a crowd of young Israeli soldiers to 'Demolish Hamas' as they stand ready.
Fitting lose in his uniform, Yachin said, “I feel excellent. It is important for us to fight for our nation.”
Yachin, who is posted at the up north border of Israel, is not fighting terrorists in the front line, but his job involves motivating the young reservists, who will be facing the battle directly with Hamas terrorists.
With over 9,000 motivational speeches, Yachin has seen Israel’s present victory against many odds. He joined the Jewish militia Lehi, a thorn in the side of the British police when he was 16. “At that time, nobody could imagine that a small nation like Israel could challenge the empire that spanned across the globe. But we protected our nation and won. This time Hamas has challenged us. And we will face it,” said the veteran.
Born to parents from Syria and Egypt, Yachin knew Arabic, which he says helped him join the underground movement while working at a post office. He found a way to Lehi and was ready to join any group that could kick the British out. “British oppressed many nations, including yours (India). They were ruling over us in our own land. British were not allowing Jewish refugees to the enter the country. They were arresting us when the Arabs prepared for war. It wasn’t about us but they tortured Jews as well,” recalls Yachin.
Joined with his brother Irgun in Lehi, both had participated in several operations against British. He says, there are still scars in his thigh of a shrapnel that hit him during an operation is Jerusalem on Ben-Yehuda street. During another operation in the old city of Jerusalem, Yakhin sustained a head injury, which blinded his one eye.
“We were so aggressively fighting against British. They weren’t safe from us because we struck immense fear in their hearts. We made them pay for their actions no matter what it was because they oppressed us too long,” he expresses the Israeli freedom fighter.
While British were fighting, United Nations recommended to grant Jewish people a homeland in Israel in 1947, the real tension began of fighting the Arabs. Just one day later the war of blood began. “Arabs killed and slaughtered families and murdered Jews everywhere. They kept their promise of wiping out Jews from everywhere,” said Yachin.
It was a war of independence where British were still fighting and Arabs were ready to kill the Jews. “They were everywhere. They were mobilising against us. There was no safe place. Arabs got hold of cannons and celebrated. Jews were in a living hell. Every Jew who they got a hold of didn’t stay alive. Whoever killed more Jews, would be granted senior leadership. That’s how it was. They were saying what Hitler had failed to do, they were going to complete it. Which religion teaches to kill people,” asks Yachin.
The attacks were many, at times they would warn to vacate the space so we can save women and children, “but they would shoot them on sight. Jews living in Jerusalem knew that had to fight back. I want to tell the new generation about the price we paid for the freedom and now it’s their time to protect the nation.
When we asked about the recent surprise attack by the Hamas that killed more than 1,400 Israelis in a day, Yachin said that the terrorist group should be wiped out completely from the earth. “It’s like living with wolves and sheep. You can’t have peace until Hamas is completely destroyed. They hate Jews and they will kill as many as they can. There’s nothing to do with the land,” he said.
Sitting next to him, his son, Ariel Yachin listening to his father and admiring him in his uniform, added, “He remembers everything from the past wars. Nothing can stop him to believe that Hamas needs to be completely wiped out. Unless it’s vanished or he himself dies, this rage will be present in his heart,” said his son.
When we asked Ariel if he is worried about his father’s safety he said, “I am proud of him. He paid the price for Israel’s freedom, lost his eye after taking fire in battle. He will be a motivation to young fighters. He will tell them what they are fighting for.”
