Jerusalem Names Staircase Leading to Old City After 2 Fallen Female Soldiers

Hadas Malka “believed wholeheartedly that if we do not defend Jerusalem we will not have a state, so the decision to name a street after her is a display of gratitude and appreciation,” her father said.

By Aryeh Savir, TPS

Jerusalem’s municipality named the famed staircase leading to the Damascus Gate at the entrance to the Old City after Border Policewomen Hadas Malka and Hadar Cohen ,who were killed in terror attacks while defending the site.

Nineteen-year-old Hadar Cohen was killed in February 2016 in a shooting and stabbing attack carried out by three Arab terrorists.

Cohen shot one of the terrorists during the attack before collapsing and losing consciousness, thus saving lives.

Hadas Malka, 23, was critically injured during a combined shooting and stabbing attack at the Damascus Gate in June 2017.

The unveiling ceremony for “Maalot Hadas ve Hadar” took place on Monday.

Ofer Cohen, Hadar’s father, said that “this is a very exciting moment, it leaves a lot of pride and it is added to an infinite number of commemorative activities in Hadar’s memory, including 15 babies named after her, three Torah scrolls, two Border Police companies, and even two synagogues and a memorial center, which are currently under construction.”

David Malka, Hadas’ father, said that the decision to name the street after his daughter is “more important on the public and social level than at the private level.”

“Hadas is a symbol and expression of the values ​​of leadership, giving, friendship, gender equality, female empowerment and love of country,” he explained.

Malka added that Hadas had always been determined to contribute as much as she could to country and society, starting as a young woman as an instructor in a youth movement and later as a Border Policewoman and commander.

“This decision has a message for society in general, and for children and youth in particular, regarding the importance of proper social values,” he said.

“As for the connection to Jerusalem, Hadas believed wholeheartedly that if we do not defend Jerusalem we will not have a state, so the decision to name a street after her is a display of gratitude and appreciation,” he added.

The municipality said that the decision made a month ago to name the area after the two young terror victims was made unanimously by the mayor and members of the committee.

Jerusalem’s Mayor Moshe Lion said that he was “privileged to commemorate the two border fighters who lost their lives during operational activity.”

“This is a very exciting and meaningful moment and I congratulate the members of the names committee who understood the importance and voted with me for the commemoration. I wish the city of Jerusalem and its residents that we will never know more such disasters,” he concluded.