Yair Racheli, Last Hero of Israel Medal Recipient from 1948 War, Dies at 97

Yair Racheli, a former Palmach fighter and the last surviving recipient of the Hero of Israel medal from the Independence War, passed away on Thursday at the age of 97. Born in Haifa in 1929, Racheli began his military training at the Ramat Yohanan agricultural school just a month before the outbreak of the 1948 war, serving in the elite Palmach's 1st Battalion.

The Battle of Shefa-Amr

The medal that defined his life was awarded following an operation on January 19, 1948, targeting a building near Shefa-Amr used as an armed base. When the force was ambushed and pinned down by heavy fire, Racheli volunteered to silence the enemy position. Advancing under fire, he hurled grenades and neutralized the post, enabling his comrades to escape.

"The decoration was awarded to me following an exaggerated description by my squad commander," Racheli later wrote in his book, maintaining a lifelong modesty regarding his legendary status.

Legacy and Intelligence Service

On May 17, 1949, he received the Hero of Israel decoration—later converted to the Medal of Valor—awarded to only 12 fighters from the Independence War. Following severe injuries at the battle of Malkia in May 1948, Racheli later served for roughly 17 years in the Shin Bet and the Mossad.

He is survived by his family, and his funeral was held privately on Thursday.