Netanyahu Offers Condolences to Family of Sgt. First Class Yehuda Katz After His Remains Are Returned to Israel.

Jerusalem:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the family home of Sgt. First Class Yehuda Yekutiel Katz, offering condolences following the return of the soldier’s remains to Israel after decades of uncertainty surrounding his fate.

Katz was the last missing soldier from the Battle of Sultan Yacoub, a major engagement during the 1982 Lebanon War. His remains were recently brought back to Israel in a special operation carried out by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Mossad, bringing to a close a decades-long search for the missing serviceman.

During his visit, Netanyahu told members of Katz’s family that he was deeply moved, alongside the people of Israel, by Yehuda’s return. The Prime Minister also expressed sorrow that Katz’s parents, Sarah and Yosef, of blessed memory, did not live to witness the moment when their son was finally brought home.

Family members spoke to Netanyahu about Katz’s character and legacy, describing him as a Torah scholar, a man of strong values, and a highly professional and devoted soldier. They recalled his commitment to his beliefs, his sense of duty and the qualities that made him deeply respected and remembered by those who knew him.

The return of Katz’s remains has particular significance for his family and for Israel, as it allows him to receive a proper Jewish burial after years of being listed among the missing. The family said his return embodies a phrase he was known to use: “A challenging question is better than a flimsy explanation.”

The recovery and return of Katz bring renewed attention to the long-standing efforts to locate soldiers who went missing in battle and return them for burial. For his family, the operation has brought an end to decades of uncertainty while preserving the memory of a soldier remembered for his faith, values and dedication to his country.