JUNE 6, 1967

June 6, 1967
Colonel Motta Gur [on loudspeaker]: All company commanders, we're
sitting right now on the ridge and we're seeing the Old City. Shortly
we're going to go in to the Old City of Jerusalem, that all
generations have dreamed about. We will be the first to enter the Old
City. Eitan's tanks will advance on the left and will enter the Lion's
Gate. The final rendezvous will be on the open square above.
[The open square of the Temple Mount.]

[Sound of applause by the soldiers.]

Yossi Ronen: We are now walking on one of the main streets of
Jerusalem towards the Old City. The head of the force is about to
enter the Old City.

[Gunfire.]

Yossi Ronen: There is still shooting from all directions; we're
advancing towards the entrance of the Old City.

[Sound of gunfire and soldiers' footsteps.]

[Yelling of commands to soldiers.]

[More soldiers' footsteps.]

The soldiers are keeping a distance of approximately 5 meters
between them. It's still dangerous to walk around here; there is still
sniper shooting here and there.

[Gunfire.]

We're all told to stop; we're advancing towards the mountainside;
on our left is the Mount of Olives; we're now in the Old City opposite
the Russian church. I'm right now lowering my head; we're running next
to the mountainside. We can see the stone walls. They're still
shooting at us. The Israeli tanks are at the entrance to the Old City,
and ahead we go, through the Lion's Gate. I'm with the first unit to
break through into the Old City. There is a Jordanian bus next to me,
totally burnt; it is very hot here. We're about to enter the Old City
itself. We're standing below the Lion's Gate, the Gate is about to
come crashing down, probably because of the previous shelling.
Soldiers are taking cover next to the palm trees; I'm also staying
close to one of the trees. We're getting further and further into the
City.

[Gunfire.]

Colonel Motta Gur announces on the army wireless: The Temple Mount
is in our hands! I repeat, the Temple Mount is in our hands!

All forces, stop firing! This is the David Operations Room. All
forces, stop firing! I repeat, all forces, stop firing! Over.

Commander eight-nine here, is this Motta (Gur) talking? Over.

[Inaudible response on the army wireless by Motta Gur.]

Uzi Narkiss: Motta, there isn't anybody like you. You're next to
the Mosque of Omar.

Yossi Ronen: I'm driving fast through the Lion's Gate all the way
inside the Old City.

Command on the army wireless: Search the area, destroy all pockets
of resistance [but don't touch anything in the houses], especially the
holy places.

[Lt.- Col. Uzi Eilam blows the Shofar. Soldiers are singing
'Jerusalem of Gold'.]

Uzi Narkiss: Tell me, where is the Western Wall? How do we get there?

Yossi Ronen: I'm walking right now down the steps towards the
Western Wall. I'm not a religious man, I never have been, but this is
the Western Wall and I'm touching the stones of the Western Wall.

Soldiers: [reciting the 'Shehechianu' blessing]: Baruch ata
Hashem, elokeinu melech haolam, she-hechianu ve-kiemanu ve-hegianu
la-zman ha-zeh. [Translation: Blessed art Thou L-rd G-d King of the
Universe who has sustained us and kept us and has brought us to this
day]

Rabbi Shlomo Goren: Baruch ata Hashem, menachem tsion u-voneh
Yerushalayim. [Translation: Blessed are thou, who comforts Zion and
bulids Jerusalem]

Soldiers: Amen!

[Soldiers sing 'Hatikva' next to the Western Wall.]

Rabbi Goren: We're now going to recite the prayer for the fallen
soldiers of this war against all of the enemies of Israel:

[Soldiers weeping]

El male rahamim, shohen ba-meromim. Hamtse menuha nahona al kanfei
hashina, be-maalot kedoshim, giborim ve-tehorim, kezohar harakiya
meirim u-mazhirim. Ve-nishmot halalei tsava hagana le-yisrael,
she-naflu be-maaraha zot, neged oievei yisrael, ve-shnaflu al kedushat
Hashem ha-am ve-ha'arets, ve-shichrur Beit Hamikdash, Har Habayit,
Hakotel ha-ma'aravi veyerushalayim ir ha-elokim. Be-gan eden tehe
menuhatam. Lahen ba'al ha-rahamim, yastirem beseter knafav le-olamim.
Ve-yitsror be-tsror ha-hayim et nishmatam adoshem hu nahlatam,
ve-yanuhu be-shalom al mishkavam [soldiers weeping loud]ve-ya'amdu
le-goralam le-kets ha-yamim ve-nomar amen!

[Translation: Merciful G-d in heaven, may the heroes and the pure,
be under thy Divine wings, among the holy and the pure who shine
bright as the sky, and the souls of soldiers of the Israeli army who
fell in this war against the enemies of Israel, who fell for their
loyalty to G-d and the land of Israel, who fell for the liberation of
the Temple, the Temple Mount, the Western Wall and Jerusalem the city
of the Lord. May their place of rest be in paradise. Merciful One, O
keep their souls forever alive under Thy protective wings. The Lord
being their heritage, may they rest in peace, for they shalt rest and
stand up for their allotted portion at the end of the days, and let us
say, Amen.]

[Soldiers are weeping. Rabbi Goren sounds the shofar. Sound of
gunfire in the background.]

Rabbi Goren: Le-shana HA-ZOT be-Yerushalayim ha-b'nuya,
be-yerushalayim ha-atika! [Translation: This year in a rebuilt
Jerusalem! In the Jerusalem of old!] *

Have a good day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.