Medal of Courage
| עיטור העוז | |
|---|---|
Medal of Courage
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| Awarded by Israel Defense Forces | |
| Type | Military decoration |
| Eligibility | Soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces |
| Awarded for | "Performing a valorous and life-risking deed while executing a combat role" |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1970 |
| First awarded | 1973 |
| Total awarded | 220 |
| Distinct recipients |
218 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Medal of Valor (Israel) |
| Next (lower) | Medal of Distinguished Service |
 Medal of Courage ribbon |
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The Medal of Courage (Hebrew: עיטור העוז, Itur HaOz) is an Israeli military decoration. The medal is awarded for carrying out acts of gallantry at the risk of life, during combat duty. The medal was established in 1970 (though it has been given retroactively) by act of law in the Knesset.
The medal was designed by Dan Reisinger, on the obverse there are six crossed swords and between them an olive branch. the reverse is plain.
The medal is attached to a red ribbon symbolizing the fire and blood in battle. Officially, two time recipients of the medal wear a small clasp in the form of the medal on its ribbon. In practice, Rav Aluf Amnon Lipkin-Shahak (the only person to be awarded the medal twice whilst still alive) wore two ribbons.
The medal is minted by the Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation, is made of 25 gram silver/935 and the clasp is chrome plated metal.
To this day 220 awards have been made, the latest were in 2005 after a period of 23 years in which the medal was not awarded. In 2007 it was announced that the medal would be awarded to six soldiers who fought during the Second Lebanon War. Two recipients have been awarded the medal twice.
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