The Defense Ministry is recognizing Cpt. Tamar Ariel, the Israeli Air Force’s first religious female navigator, who died in a snowstorm while on vacation in Nepal in 2014, as having been killed during an operation.
The ministry says this decision was made in light of new evidence indicating that Ariel was killed as she tried to save some of the other victims of the blizzard.
Her family will be recognized as a “bereaved family” of a fallen IDF soldier, which grants them certain economic benefits from the state.
In general, only the families of soldiers who fall in battle or in terror attacks receive this distinction, but exceptions are made for troops killed while trying to save lives.
“The recognition of Cpt. Ariel, of blessed memory… was made following a deep investigation by relevent professionals at the Defense Ministry and after new evidence was presented to the ministry that Tamar was killed while trying to save the lives of others,” the ministry says.
In addition to Ariel, several other Israelis — Agam Luria, Nadav Shoham, Michal Charkesky — were killed, along with 36 other people, half of whom were Nepali.
— Judah Ari Gross
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