Amos Yarkoni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amos Yarkoni
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A young Captain Amos Yarkoni
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| Native name |
עמוס ירקוני
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| Birth name | عبد الماجد حيدر ʿAbd al-Majīd Ḥaydar |
| Born | 1 June 1920 Na'ura, British Mandate for Palestine |
| Died | 7 February 1991 (aged 70) Israel |
| Buried |
Kiryat Shaul Military Cemetery
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| Allegiance |  Israel |
| Service/ |
 Israel Defense Forces |
| Years of service | December 1947 - 1969 |
| Rank |  Sgan-Aluf (Lieutenant Colonel) |
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Amos Yarkoni (Hebrew: עמוס ירקוני) was an important officer in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He was born on June 1, 1920, and passed away on February 7, 1991. Yarkoni was one of only six Israeli Arabs to receive the Medal of Distinguished Service. This is the IDF's third highest award. He was also the first commander of the special Shaked Reconnaissance Battalion. This unit protected Israel's southern border.
Contents
Serving in the IDF
Early Life and Joining the Army
Amos Yarkoni was born as Abd el-Majid Hidr (Arabic: عبد المجيد خضر المزاريب). He grew up in the Bedouin village of Na'ura in northern Israel. His family were Muslim Bedouin from the Mazarib tribe.
When he was 16, in 1936, he joined a group that damaged an oil pipeline. This pipeline ran from Iraq to Haifa. After some problems within the group, Abd el-Majid went to a Jewish area for safety. There, he met Moshe Dayan, who later became a famous Israeli general.
Abd el-Majid stayed in touch with Dayan. In December 1947, as the War of Independence began, he decided to join the new IDF. He changed his name to Amos Yarkoni.
During the war, Yarkoni served in different units. He eventually joined the Minorities Unit. He was known for being an excellent tracker and patrolman. His skills often amazed his fellow soldiers. In 1953, Yarkoni completed the Officer's Course. He then became the Commanding Officer of the Minorities Unit.
Leading the Shaked Battalion
In 1955, attacks on Israeli towns from the Gaza Strip and Hebron Hills became more frequent. The IDF looked for new ways to stop these attacks. Rehavam Zeevi, a senior officer, suggested Amos Yarkoni for this important job. Yarkoni and Zeevi were good friends.
Yarkoni accepted the task. A new counter-terrorism unit was formed under his leadership. This unit was called "Shaked" (Hebrew: שקד). In Hebrew, "Shaked" means almond. It also stood for Guardians of the Southern Border.
The Shaked unit had both Jewish and non-Jewish soldiers. Yarkoni made sure to only accept Bedouin recruits from northern Israel. This was so they would not have to fight against their own tribal relatives in the south. Yarkoni worked in the Negev desert for many years. He was part of many operations and was wounded several times. In November 1959, he lost his right hand in a fight. He was also badly hurt in his leg from an explosion.
After he recovered in 1961, Yarkoni became the Commanding Officer of the Shaked Battalion again. A military commander famously said that if Moshe Dayan could be the Chief of Staff with one eye, Yarkoni could lead a battalion with a prosthetic hand.
Many Israelis did not know that Amos Yarkoni was not Jewish. They often thought he was a Jewish person from an Arab country. There was a popular saying: "Fouad the Jew and Amos the Bedouin." This referred to "Fouad" Ben-Eliezer, a Jewish officer with an Arabic name, and Amos Yarkoni, a Bedouin with a common Israeli name.
During the Six-Day War in 1967, Yarkoni served on the Sinai front. After many years of excellent service, Yarkoni retired from the IDF in 1969.
Awards and Honors
Amos Yarkoni received several awards for his bravery and service. He earned four campaign ribbons for his part in four different wars. He also received an aluf citation and the Medal of Distinguished Service.
| Medal of Distinguished Service | Aluf Citation | 1948 Arab–Israeli War | Suez Crisis | Six-Day War | War of Attrition |
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Death and Legacy
Amos Yarkoni passed away on February 7, 1991, at the age of 70. He had been battling cancer for a long time.
His friend, Rehavam Ze'evi, asked that Yarkoni be buried in a military cemetery. Even though Yarkoni was retired, the Minister of Defense, Moshe Arens, approved the request. This was a special honor. Six Brigadier Generals, who were his former commanders, carried his coffin. This was against military tradition, as they were higher in rank. Many important people attended his funeral, including the President of Israel, Chaim Herzog. Former members of the Shaked Battalion also marched in the procession.
Today, streets in several towns, like Beer Sheva and Haifa, are named after him. This shows how much he is remembered and respected.
