Eliyahu Hakim

(1925 - 1945)

Eliyahu Hakim was born in 1925 in Beirut. At the age of seven his family immigrated to Eretz Israel, and settled in Haifa. He joined Lehi when he was a student at high school.

He was dispatched, together with Elyahu Bet-Zuri, to Cairo and on November 6, 1944, they assassinated Lord Moyne. They were caught and charged with murder. They did not take part in the proceedings at their trial. When the testimony was completed, Hakim rose to his feet and made a political statement. He said:

We accuse Lord Moyne and the government he represents, with murdering hundreds and thousands of our brethren; we accuse him of seizing our country and looting our possessions... We were forced to do justice and to fight.

The two Eliyahus were sentenced to death, and on March 23, 1945 were hanged in Cairo.

Just before going to the gallows, Hakim, looking down at the red burlap suit of the condemned man said:

This is the finest suit of clothes I have ever worn in my life.

Sources: The Irgun Site