Lt.-Col. Omri Burberg
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
Eizenkot: Dismissal unnecessary
Photo: Vadim Daniel
General Eizenkot: Charges against Naalin commander sufficient
GOC Northern Command, GOC Army Headquarters prepare statement prior to second hearing on case of Lt.-Col. involved in Naalin shooting incident, claiming his behavior does not justify dismissal from IDF
The conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel Omri Burberg towards the bound Palestinian in Naalin does not justify the termination of his service in the IDF, claims Major General Gadi Eizenkot, GOC of the Northern Command, in a statement he plans to file with the High Court of Justice Tuesday.
The scheduled court hearing will debate a petition filed by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), which demanded that the charges against the Naalin commander involved in the firing of a rubber bullet towards a bound Palestinian be amended to include more serious offenses.
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In preparation for the hearing, Burberg's attorney has drafted a statement prepared by Eizenkot and Head of GOC Army Headquarters General Avi Mizrahi, in which they claim that the charges against him are sufficient.
Eizenkot stated that following the incident, Burberg had asked to terminate his position as regiment commander. "I think this testifies to a true understanding on his part about the seriousness of the incident and his willingness to accept responsibility for it," he wrote.
He said the sentence Burberg received, dismissing him from his position and transferring him to a desk job, is significant and may hinder his military carreer considerably.
"I think the chief of staff's involvement in the case, including the steps taken against Burberg, state clearly that the IDF does not accept this kind of behavior and responds to it with significant steps," the general wrote.
He added that the IDF chief of staff had elected to take a tough stance, and that he didn't believe Burberg's service in the IDF should be terminated.
General Avi Mizrahi also stated that Burberg's sentence was sufficient. "I can say with all certainty that the procedures enforced in Burberg's case are seen by IDF commanders in the field as a very serious response," he wrote.
