IWI Tavor X95

Date Night

Abidan Mizrahi was a happy guy. A Corporal in the IDF (Israel Defense Force) assigned to the famed Golani Brigade, Abidan was home on leave after a particularly grueling training cycle. This night on the town with Rivka had been months in the planning.

Abidan and Rivka began dating in high school. When he finally completed his three years of national service he would make her his wife. She was bubbly, playful, smart and gorgeous. She had completed her two years in the IDF three months prior, having served as a firearms instructor. Abidan was looking forward to the day when he could stash his uniform away in a closet as a reservist so they could move on with their lives.

Abidan and Rivka lived on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Today they fancied an evening in the Old City. The market was populated mostly with tourists, but the couple had whiled away many an enchanted evening in years past exploring the cluttered stalls. Tonight they would score some shawarma from a vendor and just wander. He had not seen her in two months.

Abidan ran a comb through his hair one last time and straightened his collar. His little sister rolled her eyes at his aftershave. Abidan gave her a quick hug and snatched up his Tavor X95 rifle before heading out the door.

After two and a half years as a soldier, the weapon has become part of Abidan’s life. When he was home on leave he carried the rifle with a loaded magazine and a red plastic chamber flag in place. The little scrap of plastic along with all of the various accessories were secured with short lengths of dummy cord. He had trained to jack the bolt, drop the chamber flag and have the weapon up and ready in an instant.

Rivka was radiant as usual. He had forgotten how good she smelled. After a long hug around the corner from her parents’ view, the couple struck out. A short bus ride later and they were strolling arm in arm through the bazaar. Abidan did not know if he had ever been happier.

The screams were faint at first but then grew louder and more penetrating. Orienting to the sound both Abidan and Rivka reflexively struck out at a trot toward the noise. Without conscious thought Abidan had his rifle up, ready and charged as the screams grew ever louder. Now he was at a flat-out run.

The Aimpoint M4S tactical optic on his Tavor was on all the time. As Abidan rounded the corner into a long corridor between stalls, he saw an elderly woman lying in a pool of blood and several civilians struggling mightily with a young Palestinian man armed with a wicked knife. Abidan shouted for the bystanders to get clear, raised his rifle and shot the terrorist dead with a single round to the chest. Rivka immediately ran past him and began tending to the old woman’s wounds. The police arrived in force moments later.