Yaakov (Yaki) Hetz, a decorated veteran of the battle for Jerusalem’s Ammunition Hill and an Israel Defense Prize laureate, has died, the Ammunition Hill memorial center announced on Facebook on Tuesday.
Hetz, who fought with the 66th Battalion during the Six-Day War, received the Medal of Courage for his actions in the battle and lit a torch at the state ceremony marking Israel’s 69th Independence Day.
Hetz (Haimovitch) was 21 when he fought at Ammunition Hill, becoming one of the figures most closely associated with the historic battle to liberate Jerusalem. After his platoon commander, Yoram Eliashiv, was hit, Hetz took command and continued leading his comrades under heavy fire. He was awarded the Medal of Courage for his bravery and conduct during the battle.
During the fighting, Hetz and fellow soldiers Yehuda Kendal and David Shalom helped overcome a fortified Jordanian bunker that blocked the Israeli advance. After a grenade failed to put the position out of action, the three gathered approximately 20 kilograms of explosives and detonated them against the bunker. The blast brought down a wall and part of the roof, clearing the way forward.
Hetz received a special commendation for his actions at the Battle of the Chinese Farm
Hetz also fought in the Yom Kippur War. Forty years later, he received a special commendation for his actions at the Battle of the Chinese Farm, where he risked his life to rescue wounded soldiers.
His story, however, did not end in the trenches of Ammunition Hill. He later worked in defense development and innovation, contributing to advanced weapons systems at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
Among his contributions was the idea that led to the development of the Maoz system, an advanced attack drone used by IDF soldiers. The concept grew out of his experience at Ammunition Hill and his determination to give future soldiers capabilities that he and his comrades had lacked in 1967.
In 1982, Hetz received the Israel Defense Prize for his defense work. In 2017, he was selected to light a torch at the official Independence Day ceremony.
Alongside his military and technological achievements, Hetz dedicated himself to remembrance, education, and preserving Israel’s heritage. For decades, he shared the stories of the soldiers who fought for Jerusalem, meeting generations of young people and recounting the battle and the experiences of his comrades.
Hetz published his autobiography in 2023, three years before his passing
In 2023, he published his autobiography, Baptism of Fire, describing the battle from his own perspective.
His bravery is commemorated at Ammunition Hill’s Six Day War Museum, which preserves the history of the war, the battles for Jerusalem’s liberation and reunification, and the personal stories of those who fought. His testimony and life story form part of the heritage passed on to visitors and future generations.
For Ammunition Hill, Hetz was much more than one of the battle’s heroes. He was an inseparable part of its community, belonging to the generation of soldiers who transformed a battlefield into a living center of remembrance, heritage, and education.
“Yaki Hetz was an inseparable part of Ammunition Hill, not only as one of the heroes of the battle for Jerusalem’s liberation and reunification, but also as a man who devoted his life to action, creation, and passing on our heritage to future generations,” said Menachem Landau, chairman of the board.
“Yaki was a man of many talents, with vast knowledge, a youthful spirit, and boundless curiosity. To us, he was much more than a soldier and a hero of Israel; he was one of the family, a partner on our journey, and a dear friend. His bravery is commemorated in the hill’s Six-Day War Museum, but his legacy lives far beyond the museum’s walls. Today we bid farewell to a man whose life story is intertwined with that of a united Jerusalem, and whose memory will continue to accompany us and future generations.”
