Itongadol.- Thousands of loved ones, neighbors, politicians and well-wishers from across the country made their way to the village of Kfar Yanouch in the Galilee on Wednesday, to bid farewell to Zidan Saif, the Druse policeman who died of a gunshot wound suffered at the scene of the terror attack at a Jerusalem synagogue.
National Police Commissioner Inspector General Yochanan Danino eulogized Saif at his funeral on Wednesday, saying that the officer “ran into the heart of the murderous inferno, without fear, without concern” and that he “endangered himself for the security of the citizens of Israel.”
Danino credited Saif for stopping the rampage and for saving the lives of other potential victims.
“The people of Israel owe Zidan a great debt – a great debt to this man and this great officer – to remember his greatness, his character, his heroism and his courage.”
President Reuven Rivlin also attended the funeral, as did Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch and leaders from the Druse community of Israel.
The funeral was also attended by haredis from Jerusalem and beyond who organized buses to take them to the Galilee village to pay their respects to the officer who risked his life and ultimately died to stop the attack Tuesday.
Saif, 30, left behind a wife and a four month old daughter. Saif enlisted in the police in April 2011 and served as a traffic patrol cop in the Jerusalem District. After his death Tuesday night at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem he was promoted to the rank of First Sergeant.