IDF Officer Defends Role of Slain Researcher Ze'ev Erlich in Lebanon
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
A memorial event honored Ze'ev Erlich, a researcher killed in Lebanon two years ago. An IDF officer defended Erlich's significant contributions to the military, stating his expertise was crucial for decades. Erlich's family and the family of another fallen soldier believe his death was in vain and accuse the IDF of a cover-up. The officer argued Erlich's death was due to misfortune, not negligence, likening his service to falling on duty.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- IDF officer defended researcher Ze'ev Erlich's vital contributions to military operations in Lebanon.
- Erlich, a Land of Israel researcher, died in Lebanon two years ago.
- A Haaretz report suggested Erlich's visit to a fortress was not operationally necessary.
- The family of a soldier killed with Erlich believes his death was in vain.
- The officer argued Erlich's death was due to bad luck, not negligence.
A memorial event was held in Ofra for Ze'ev Erlich, also known as 'Zhabo,' a researcher of the Land of Israel, two years after his death in Lebanon. Hundreds gathered to remember Erlich, who was described as both a vast repository of knowledge and a very funny man. A new book featuring his articles on weekly Torah portions and their accompanying readings was also presented at the event.
According to a recent Haaretz investigation, Erlich, a settler from Ofra, had expressed a desire to visit a Crusader fortress near Tyre, independent of any operational needs of the IDF in the area. The army reportedly acceded to his request, as it was deemed impolite to refuse. The family of Golani fighter Gur Kehati, who was killed alongside Erlich, believes his death was in vain and accuses the IDF of covering up the post-mortem military investigation.
An IDF officer, who previously commanded a regional brigade in Judea and Samaria and now leads another significant brigade, spoke at the memorial. He presented excerpts from a document he submitted to military investigators, emphasizing the immense and unique contribution Erlich made to field units over many years. The officer stated that Erlich's knowledge illuminated areas that would otherwise have remained unknown, highlighting the operational value of his insights, even from his early days as a company commander.
This extensive knowledge base, the officer explained, was the reason for Erlich's invitation to the tour in Lebanon, not personal reasons. The IDF had relied on Erlich's expertise for decades, making his participation in the final tour unsurprising. The Haaretz report also indicated that Erlich was a welcome guest in field units, with nearly 130 senior officers having accompanied him on or initiated tours over the years.
Erlich's death, the officer argued, was a result of bad luck or force majeure, not negligence. He asserted that like Sergeant Gur Kehati, Major (res.) Ze'ev Erlich also fell on his post, implying his death was a consequence of his service, albeit in an unofficial capacity.