The former head of IDF Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, bid farewell on Friday to Lt. Col. Dor Ben Simhon, Commander of the 52nd Battalion, who was killed overnight during combat in southern Lebanon.
Ben Simhon previously served as Gordin’s Chief of Staff during the general's tenure heading Northern Command. He was laid to rest at Kibbutz Beit HaShita, in a funeral attended by senior defense officials, including major generals and Mossad Director Roman Gofman.
In his eulogy, Gordin described Ben Simhon as a commander whose actions spoke much louder than his words. "Very few words, immense action. You possessed a devotion second to none. Always with an angelic smile that symbolized strength and hope. You were the embodiment of everything a leader should be," he said.
He added, "The residents of the north may not know it, but they owe you an immense debt of gratitude. I hope that fatal blow did not cause you even a second of suffering. I loved you as a commander, as a close officer, and as an older brother. Even though I hold the rank of Major General, I have no answer for your mother, who has lost her beloved son, her most precious treasure."
Gordin concluded his remarks with a pledge to carry on the fallen officer's legacy. "I promise that we will continue to walk in your path and uphold your legacy. You were the salt of the earth, the best of the best. I salute you, my brother."
Ben Simhon assumed command of the 52nd Battalion approximately two months ago, after his predecessor was seriously wounded in battle in southern Lebanon. He rose through the ranks of the Armor Corps’ 401st Brigade, filling a series of command positions. He later served as Chief of Staff to the Head of Northern Command during Operation "Northern Arrows," before returning to the field to take command of the battalion.
He was killed at approximately 12:20 a.m. after a suspicious aerial target struck a tank belonging to 52nd Battalion forces operating in the area of the village of Tibnin. The IDF has not yet determined whether the strike was carried out by an explosive drone.
Three other combat soldiers were killed in the same incident; their identities have not yet been cleared for publication.