Yehuda Katz

(1956 - )

Yehuda Katz is an Israel Defense Forces soldier who has been missing in action since the First Lebanon War.

Katz (born December 29, 1956) was born in Ramat Gan to Holocaust survivors Yosef and Sarah. After high school, he chose to complete his military service in the Hesder format that allows for religious studies and army duty. He then spent time at Yeshivat Kerem Be'yavne and did his military service in the Armored Corps. His dream was to become a leading Judaic scholar and rabbinic figure.

On June 11, 1982, in a battle with Palestinian and Syrian forces near the Lebanese village of Sultan Yaqub, five Israeli soldiers went missing. While two have since been returned to Israel, three others - Zachary Baumel, Tzvi Feldman and Katz- are still considered missing in action.

Since their abduction, Palestinian and Syrian officials have been unhelpful in providing Israel with any information about its missing soldiers.

In 1985, Israeli soldier Chezi Shai, who was also captured in the Sultan Yaqub battle though was returned to Israel in a prisoner exchange, reported that he had heard Katz's name mentioned while in captivity. Other than that, nothing else is known about Katz's whereabouts.

Sources: The International Coalition for Missing Israeli Soldiers; Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs