Israeli Air Force pays tribute to Sean Connery with 1967 photograph alongside legendary IAF commander.
By Benjamin Kerstein, The Algemeiner
The Israeli Air Force paid tribute on Saturday to the late Sir Sean Connery, the legendary actor who died Oct. 31 at the age of 90.
Connery, who shot to international stardom in the 1960s as the iconic super spy James Bond and later won an Oscar for his role in The Untouchables, visited Israel in 1967 and was photographed with then-IAF chief Motti Hod.
In Connery’s honor, the IAF posted the photograph of Connery and Hod on Twitter, noting that the two men were standing next to a captured Iraqi fighter marked with James Bond’s famous code number 007.
Sir Sean Connery, best known for his role of James Bond, passed away today at the age of 90. In 1967, Connery visited Israel and took this historic picture with then IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Moti Hod with the background of an Iraqi MiG-21, numbered ‘007’ after Bond. RIP. pic.twitter.com/yxdS4OQDSs
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 31, 2020
Hod, who served as air force chief during the 1967 Six Day War, presided over what may be the IAF’s greatest achievement — the preemptive strike on the Egyptian air force that opened the war, effectively destroying Egypt’s offensive air power and giving the IDF freedom of operation on the ground.
Many historians view the strike as key to Israel’s swift victory over the Arab armies massed on its borders.