Murdered border police officer laid to rest
Thousands of people, including family, friends, government ministers and police officials paid their respects overnight between Saturday and Sunday to 23-year-old Staff Sgt. Hadas Malka, the border police soldier who was murdered in Friday’s terror attack in Jerusalem. Malka, a resident of Moshav Givat Ezer, in central Israel, was laid to rest in the military section of the coastal city of Ashdod.
She is survived by her parents, David and Geula, two brothers, Tamir and Guy and three sisters, Shaked, Netan and Gefen. She began her military service in the Navy before moving to the border police. After being discharged from the army in 2015, she returned to begin a military career year later.
Although the family asked for media not to attend the funeral, the Hebrew-language Walla news site reported that Guy Malka, Hadas’ brother, eulogized his sister, saying “You had so many dreams, we wanted to see you get married… Please, wake up, Hadassi, tell us this is all a bad dream. A goddamn terrorist has ruined our dreams. We’ll never forget you, our heroic sister who protected Jerusalem.”
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan added that Israel would never forget Hadas, and that terrorists would not dissuade the country from building the Land of Israel.
“We will not surrender and we will not bow our heads before cursed terrorists. We will pursue our enemies and those who wish us evil wherever they may be found,” Erdan said. “Hadas’ memory will be engraved on the hearts of our entire people. The sound of children laughing around Shabbat tables was heard yesterday, even on this difficult shabbat, in Hadas’ merit and in that of her colleagues, defenders of our capital, guardians of Israel and Jerusalem.”
Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich added that Malka joined a group of more than 1,400 police officers who were killed by terrorists. He praised her as having been a “microcosmos” of the Israel Police and said she served in the border police with a deep sense of commitment and desire to contribute to Israeli society.
“Your friends say that together with being a real professional, you were also the ‘big sister’ to the younger soldiers. You worried about all of them and took care to make sure there was a good atmosphere [in the unit], always with a simile. You were always there to help, and your love of life drew everyone in. You exemplified the ethos of the police,” Alsheich said.
Following the funeral, IDF and security forces continued a sweep of Deir Abu Masha’l, a Palestinian village west of Ramallah that was the home of the three terrorists who committed Friday night’s two coordinated shooting and stabbing attacks in Jerusalem. All three were shot dead by police.