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Mar. 15, 2009
Two cops killed in Jordan Valley attack
Yaakov Lappin and JPost.com staff
The two Judea and Samaria Traffic Police officers found shot dead in their overturned patrol car near Moshav Masua in the Jordan Valley on Sunday evening were identified as Yechezkel (Hezi) Ramzarkar, 50, of Ma’ale Ephraim and David Rabinowitz, 42, of Rosh Ha’ayin.
Ramzarkar will be laid to rest on Monday at 4 p.m. in Yavne. Rabinowitz’s funeral will take place on Monday at 12 p.m. in Haifa.
The two are apparently the victims of a terror attack. Their patrol car crashed on Route 90 after shots were fired. Police suspected that gunmen may have faked a problem with their car. When the policemen stopped to investigate, they were shot at point blank range.
A Magen David Adom paramedic crew, accompanied by a military doctor, was dispatched to the area and attempted to resuscitate the victims, but both were declared dead at the scene.
The IDF sealed off the area as security forces launched widespread searches for the gunmen.
Military sources said the attack could have been an attempt by terrorist groups to thwart a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas.
Security forces were first alerted to the attack at approximately 8:10 p.m., when a gunman or gunmen opened fire from short range at the police car.
Emergency responders first believed they were on the scene of a serious accident, but soon realized terrorism was involved when gunshot wounds were discovered on the victims’ bodies.
One policeman was declared dead immediately, while paramedics battled to save the second one’s life without success.
A police mobile forensics unit was sent to the scene late on Sunday as security forces attempted to determine what occurred.
Israel Police Insp.-Gen. David Cohen was also expected to visit the site of the attack.
In Memoriam
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