Israel will honor the late Senator Daniel Inouye, who was one of Congress’ most stalwart pro-Israel legislators, by naming an Arrow missile after him, the first time the honor will have been expressed for someone who is not an Israeli.
Irene Inouye, wife of the senator, is scheduled to attend the January 14 cemetery at the secret base, the Jerusalem Post reported. She also will grant the first scholarship in her late husband’s name to the Israel Arts and Science Academy in Jerusalem
Sen. Inouye died in December 2012 at the age of 88. He campaigned for freeing Jews from the Soviet Union, worked on behalf of Holocaust survivors and was instrumental in securing American funding for the Iron Dome anti-missile system.
Sen. Inouye lost an arm in a World War II battle in Italy, was decorated as a war and received the Medal of Honor.
After the war, where he learned about the Holocaust, he studied Jewish history. His first job was selling Israeli bonds, and he once considered converting to Judaism but did not went to irritate his devout Christian mother. Sen. Inouye felt so close to Judaism and Israel that he attached mezuzahs on the doors of his offices.
“He was a man who saw two injustices – genocide against Native Americans and against Europe’s Jews – and he wanted to make sure the Native Americans got help in their restoration and that Israel had America’s support in securing itself against those who did not wish Israel’s population well and who wished the nation-state did not exist,” said Tom Dine, the former executive director of AIPAC, after the senator died.