Israel is set to honour late Lt. Gen. JFR Jacob, one of the heroes of the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, as a Jewish soldier who served with distinction in a foreign army. “Lt Gen Jacob will be honoured by unveiling of a wall plaque on the wall of Honour at Jerusalem Ammunition Hill for Jewish soldiers men, women and who served with distinction in foreign armies,” said Samuel Marshall, senior Jewish community leader in India, who leads the Indian sports delegation to Maccabiah Games in Israel. Lt. Gen. Jacob is known for negotiating the surrender of Pakistani troops in Dhaka in 1972 which ended the 13-day war and led to the creation of Bangladesh. At that time he was a Major General and the Chief of Staff of the Kolkata-based Eastern Army Command. He joined the British Indian Army in 1942 during World War II and had served across Asia and Africa and graduated from artillery schools in England and the U.S. After Independence, Lt. Gen. Jacob served in the Indian Army and retired in 1978 after 37 years of service.

Source: The Hindu April 20, 2019 12:56 UTC