Yair Har-Sinai

July 2, 2001 - The body of Yair Har Sinai, 51, of Susiya in the Hebron hills, missing since Monday (July 2) was found early Tuesday morning shot in the head and chest.

 

Yair Har Sinai left his home on Monday morning with his flock of sheep and was not heard from since. His body was found at 3:00 AM one kilometer southwest of his home in the Susiya community in the Har Hebron area. Investigators believe he was shot in the back and head at close range by two assailants some time after 22:00 Monday night.

Har Sinai had been a shepherd for the last 19 years and was well known to Israelis and Palestinians in the area. Unarmed at the time of his murder, he did not carry a gun as a matter of principle.

 

Yair Har Sinai (born Essenheim) grew up on Kibbutz Kfar Yedidya in the Hefer Valley. He served in the elite IDF Shaked Unit. Later, he became religiously observant. After marrying Dalia, the couple lived for a time in Jerusalem, Beit El, and then Maon, in the southern Hebron hills. Finally, over 15 years ago, the family made their home in Susiya, about 20 minutes south of Hebron.

 

A neighbor described Yair Har Sinai Ya'ir as a unique figure in Susiya. He was friendly with the Arabs, he lived with nature. He didn't want to use modern things, but rather electricity from wind-powered sources and water from a cistern; he lived in a stone house; he dressed in the way in which he felt that our ancestors dressed 2,000 years ago.

 

Yair Har Sinai was buried in Susiya. He is survived by his wife, Dalia, and their nine children. His oldest daughter, 21 years old, is married. His oldest son is serving in the military. His youngest son is 18 months old.