Uri Ilan
Israeli soldier imprisoned in Syria (1935–1955) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Uri Ilan (Hebrew: אורי אילן, 17 February 1935 – 13 January 1955) was an Israeli soldier taken hostage by the Syrians during the Zarzar operation on the Golan Heights[1] and committed suicide in Syrian captivity, after being captured in a covert operation. He became a symbol of courage and patriotism in Israel.[2][3]
In a note he left in his shoes which was discovered upon examination of his body, He wrote "I did not betray, I committed suicide", so as not to reveal a military secret. Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan quoted from the note the first words "I did not betray", which became a symbol of personal sacrifice for the sake of the country's security.