Friends urge public to attend funeral of lone soldier killed in southern Lebanon

Friends of Staff Sgt. (res.) Alexander Pilin, 29, from Haifa, are calling on the public to attend his funeral after he was killed three days ago in combat in southern Lebanon. Pilin had no family in Israel and came to the country alone, and his friends fear the ceremony could otherwise draw only a small crowd. The funeral is scheduled for today, Sunday, at 12:00 in Haifa.

According to the details released, Pilin was a lone soldier who wanted to join an elite unit, but language difficulties and the lack of security clearance led him instead to serve in the Nahal Brigade. He served in the headquarters of Division 36 and was 29 when he fell.

The deadly incident took place on Thursday in the Litani area near the village of al-Taybeh in southern Lebanon. A team of fighters from the command post of the deputy commander of Division 36 and the Givati Brigade was moving on foot when a Hezbollah explosive device was detonated against them. Pilin was killed, and seven other soldiers were wounded, including two in moderate condition, among them a senior officer with the rank of colonel who serves as deputy commander of Division 36 and a reserve battalion commander in the 556th Brigade with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

The incident came amid the continuing fighting in southern Lebanon, as IDF forces keep operating against Hezbollah terror infrastructure. Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav praised Pilin, saying he answered the call, left his routine and loved ones, and went out to defend Israel and its citizens. He added that the whole city of Haifa was with the Pilin family and sent condolences on behalf of the city’s residents.