![\"President](\"https:\/\/op.gov.ss\/storage\/news\/1de265b8-cbc0-4a4f-9720-928a77dd4423.webp\")
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JUBA, June 25, 2026 — More than half a century after first walking alongside the fighters of the Anyanya movement, Israeli veteran David Uri Ben-Uziel returned to South Sudan on Thursday to receive one of the country’s highest military honours.<\/p>\n
In a ceremony at the Presidency, H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit conferred upon Ben-Uziel the honorary rank of General in the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and placed him on the force’s non-active list, recognising his contribution to the southern liberation struggle during the 1960s and 1970s.<\/span><\/p>\n Known by the nom de guerre “John,” the 91-year-old former Israeli military trainer and intelligence operative worked closely with the Anyanya One movement under the leadership of General Joseph Lagu. President Kiir was among the liberation fighters who served during that period.<\/span><\/p>\n The recognition commemorates a chapter of South Sudan’s liberation history in which Gen John helped establish links between the Anyanya movement and Israel, facilitating military training and the delivery of essential supplies, including medicines, uniforms, communications equipment, and other logistical support.<\/span><\/p>\n Historical records also credit him with travelling extensively through Southern Sudan—often on foot across difficult terrain, to strengthen coordination among liberation forces and encourage cooperation between commanders and communities during a formative period of the struggle.<\/span><\/p>\n Addressing the gathering, Gen John reflected on his years alongside the people of Southern Sudan, describing their determination and resilience as an enduring source of inspiration. He said it had been a privilege to contribute, in whatever way he could, to their pursuit of freedom and self-determination.<\/span><\/p>\n President Kiir said the honorary promotion represents the nation’s appreciation for those who stood with the people of Southern Sudan during their struggle for liberation. He also paid tribute to the people and Government of Israel for the support extended during that period, noting that the bonds forged in those years remain an important part of the historical relationship between the two nations.<\/span><\/p>\n The ceremony served not only as a personal recognition of Gen John’s service but also as a tribute to a generation of international friends whose support became intertwined with South Sudan’s long road to independence.<\/span><\/p>\n Source: Office of the President, Republic of South Sudan (op.gov.ss)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" JUBA, June 25, 2026 — More than half a century after first walking alongside the fighters of the Anyanya movement, Israeli veteran David Uri Ben-Uziel returned to South Sudan on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-office-of-president"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33386"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33386\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}