Aldo Bar Natan

We have a record of an interview with Aldo about a year prior to his death.

These are his own words:

«I was born in Libya, in Tripoli, in 1937.

Jews resided in Libya for ages, since the First Temple times. Before Mohammad, before Moses. Let alone Christ. Libya is 50 times more than Israel.

My Grandfather was very rich. He lived all his life in Tripoli, but he bought himself a place in a Jerusalem cemetery, at the Mount of Olives, where he was buried according to his will.

Italian fascists entered Libya sometime around 1939. And then came Germans. They had realised that Italians are weak. All Jews escaped into the desert then. And stayed there until 1943, when Libya was liberated by Britain.

Back then I would piss in my pants every time my Mom would whisper “Nazi!” I would do like that until 1955, already in Israel, and then I myself went to serve in the army, at the age of 18.

There was a food ticket system in Israel back in the early fifties. What else could be done? There were all those jews after the Holocaust. We were struggling. There were just around 600 of us. There were tickets for bread, meat – for everything. I sucked on bread instead of chewing it, hoping that it will never end.

I was very sportive. A great shooter. A sniper. I wouldn’t miss a chicken egg from 100 meters distance.

During the Six-day War I was in Golan. We were capturing the Golan Heights. Seven hours of fight, it’s a miracle I stayed alive.

Another miracle happened after the war. We were on a patrol, on two SUVs. One after another, at nighttime. I was commanding the first one, and the second SUV, behind us, hit a landmine. It just rocketed into the air, about 15 meters high. Barely missed me.

I retired as a Colonel. Then I served for some time as an Israel Fire Service Chief.

I was awarded a General.

The pension is OK. Enough for me, and I don’t need more. What for?

Yesterday I came home from the hospital. They didn’t want me to leave. I signed a paper for them, that if I die, it’s me to blame. I don’t care. But the doctors need this paper, otherwise my children can sue them».