JERUSALEM—Describing the
terrifying yet valiant experience to his fellow battalion members, Israel
Defense Forces soldier Yossi Saadon recounted Tuesday his harrowing, heroic war
story of killing an 8-month-old Palestinian child during a violent attack
against protesters. “It was a heart-pounding experience—there was smoke and
gunfire all around me, and I made a split-second decision to hurl that canister
of tear gas at the encroaching infant cradled in her father’s arms,” said
Saadon to the group of awed soldiers, describing the chills that went up and
down his spine as he realized that all he had was his M16 assault rifle and
some tear gas to defend himself against the unarmed Palestinian family standing
only dozens of yards away. “I could see the whites of the baby’s eyes and hear
her terrifying cries, and I knew it was either her or me. And this wasn’t some
newborn infant, you know? This was a baby who could probably sit up independently.
I was scared, but I acted quickly to throw that tear gas at her and her older
sister. And who knows how many lives I saved when I shot the women trying to
help her?” At press time, Saadon’s battalion commander informed him that he was
submitting his name for the Medal of Valor, the IDF’s highest honor.
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