Last week I mentioned my son living in Ashkelon and that two of his sons – two-thirds of triplets – have joined the IDF. The family has also two older sons who finished their army service some time ago. One of the triplets has recently joined the same fighter unit as his cousin (the one who just got engaged and finished his IDF service last month). His brother joined the IDF last week in the “Combat Engineering Corps., an unknown aspect of the IDF in our family’s tradition. [The third triplet has yet to change his civilian clothes into an army uniform. In Israel, after completing high school, boys and girls are allowed to study for some time in special religious frameworks before beginning their army service].
In the 1948 War of Independence, the CEC blasted bridges over the Jordan River and the streams of the southern coastal plain in order to stop the advance of the Arab armoured forces into the Israeli civilian rear. While helping to breach the “Burma Road” into besieged Jerusalem there were many casualties. To commemorate the fallen soldiers, a “Road of Heroism” memorial was erected near the Hulda forest at the Burman Road.
In the 1956 Sinai War, the CEC destroyed the Egyptian military infrastructure in the Sinai Peninsula and was awarded with a battalion recommendation of honour.
In the 1967 Six-day War, the CEC stormed Jordanian fortifications along the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. After Israel annexed the Old City, the CEC removed landmines planted in the city by the Jordanians.
In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the combat engineering battalions bridged the Suez Canal while carrying tanks and paratroopers across the canal with amphibious tank-carriers. This effort enabled the armored divisions to cross the canal and surround the 3rd Egyptian Army, forcing it to surrender. The bridging of the canal is regarded by many as the turning point of the war on the southern front. On the northern front, a CEC Caterpillar D9 bulldozer was the first ever motorized vehicle to reach the summit of the Hermon – Israel’s highest mountain.
The 1982 First Lebanon War, dubbed Operation Peace for Galilee, began when the IDF invaded southern Lebanon, after repeated attacks and counter-attacks between the PLO operating in southern Lebanon and the IDF, that had caused civilian casualties on both sides of the border. The CEC worked intensively to open routes for Israeli forces, as well as building fortifications and outposts.
By expelling the PLO, removing Syrian influence over Lebanon, and installing a pro-Israeli Christian government led by Bachir Gemayel, Israel hoped to sign a treaty which the Prime Minister Menachem Begin promised would give Israel "forty years of peace". Unfortunately, Israel’s desire for peace was again thwarted. Following the assassination of Gemayel in September 1982, Israel's position in Beirut became untenable and the signing of a peace treaty became increasingly unlikely. The Lebanese civil war would continue until 1990, at which point Syria had established complete dominion over Lebanon.
In the 1991 Gulf War, the CEC were on a "code red" alert for disarming Iraqi scud missiles, armed with non-conventional warheads.
During the al-Aqsa Intifada, which broke out in September 2000, the CEC were employed to disarm many Palestinian explosive charges and booby traps. They also dynamited Palestinian houses inhabited by terrorists, bomb labs. and smuggling tunnels.
The CEC took a significant part in the Second Lebanon War that erupted in 2006 after Hizbullah attacked an IDF patrol, abducted two soldiers and killed another 8 with anti-tank missiles that hit the rescuers.
During the Gaza War (2008–2009) codenamed "Operation Cast Lead", the CEC were the first to enter the Gaza Strip to clear IED's, booby traps and open safe routes to armour and infantry.
During Operation Protective Edge (July–August 2014), the CEC played a major role in destroying the Hamas cross-border underground infiltration tunnels. In total, about 32 tunnels were destroyed! In addition, combat engineers participated in the battles, neutralized Hamas-planted improvised explosive devices, cleared booby-traps, opened routes for armour and infantry, and destroyed terrorist infrastructure.
The CEC has an excellent record of professional achievement and decoration. Their first chief engineer, Brigadier General David Leskolv developed many combat engineering systems for the IDF, and won three Israel Security Prizes. He served in the IDF until his death at the age of 86, making him the oldest soldier in the world!
Looking at the above list chronicling the wars and military campaigns incited by its enemies, is the stark reality of Israel’s fight/right to exist.
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