Haviv Dadon

August 10, 2003 - Haviv Dadon, 16, of Shlomi, was struck in the chest and killed by shrapnel from an anti-aircraft shell fired by Hizbullah terrorists in Lebanon, as he sat with friends after work Sunday afternoon.

Recent reports in the Lebanese press said Hizbullah has modified its anti-aircraft shells so they would explode closer to the ground. One of them fell within two meters of where Dadon was sitting with friends after completing a morning's cleaning and maintenance work for the local municipal council, as part of a summer vacation project for teenagers.

Dadon was hit in the chest and limbs, a friend was hit in the legs, and three others were lightly wounded. Among the wounded were a mother and her eight-month-old son, who had been driving past when the shells struck.

Haviv's older brother, Meir, related that he was an excellent student, about to enter eleventh grade. "He loved music. He was a good boy who didn't quarrel with anyone and he helped the family. Our father had a kidney transplant recently and Haviv took care of him devotedly."

A friend, Itzik Amsili, related that Haviv had asked him to teach him to play the guitar. "We had arranged to meet today at 16:00 after work so I would give him the first lesson -- I even found him guitar. And now I'm sitting in his house and he's gone."

Haviv Dadon was buried in the Shlomi Cemetery. He is survived by his parents and five older siblings.