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Rabbi Dan Martzbach

Rabbi's family: IDF admits to 'major failure'

Central Command Chief Mizrahi meets with Rabbi Dan Martzbach's family, explains how incident occurred and noted that driver had no way of recognizing soldier. Shooting soldier says operated according to army protocol

The Central Command chief met on Sunday with the family of the late Rabbi Martzbach, who was accidentally killed by IDF fire on Friday in the south Mount Hebron area. General Avi Mizrahi, accompanied by Colonel Guy Hazut, commander of the Judea Brigade, visited the family home in Otniel for "open and penetrating" talks.

 

The rabbi's widow, Esther, made it clear that "the right thing to do" following the incident is to build a new neighborhood in Otniel in memory of her husband: "That would be my only comfort."

 

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Meanwhile, the shooting soldier, who was released from the hospital earlier in the day, said he acted in accordance with IDF protocol and that the rabbi continued driving despite being signaled to stop.

 

The soldier said he felt his life was in danger when the rabbi's vehicle approached the checkpoint at a high speed, adding that he opened fire on the car before it had passed him and after it passed the checkpoint as well.

 

"I was following orders and acted according to all of the guidelines," he said.

 

IDF representatives presented the incident's investigation findings to the family, including his widow and five children. According to those present at the meeting, the IDF explained that in the days that preceded the incident there was a terror alert focused on a suspicious vehicle moving along Route 60 near Beit Hagai.

 


זירת הירי, "7 קליעים נורו לחלקו האחורי של הרכב" (צילום: נועם מושקוביץ)

Scene of the incident on Friday (Photo: Noam Moskovich)

 

On Friday morning a suspicious car was identified on the route, with soldiers fearing the car was being driven by terrorists en route to an attack.

 

The report was received by the three soldiers at the nearby checkpoint: A commander, a soldier and a medic. The force did not have enough time to erect a roadblock so the commander stood in the middle of the road and signaled the driver to stop using the flashlight on his personal weapon.

 

Later, the soldier fired at the car in which the rabbi and two other women were travelling in. The women were injured in the incident.

 

The family was told that on Saturday the IDF had held a reenactment of the incident with a car that was driving at the same speed. According to sources present at the meeting, the reenactment made it clear that the driver had no way of recognizing the soldier.

 

The soldier who felt his life was in danger fired eight bullets. One hit the front of the car, one hit the radiator and the others hit the back of the car and passengers.

 


הלווית הרב בהר הזיתים בירושלים בסוף השבוע (צילום: אליעד לוי)

Rabbi Dan Martzbach's funeral (Photo: Eliad Levi)

 

At the meeting the IDF officers made it clear that they considered the incident as a major failure in which the soldiers acted contrary to procedure.

 

The rabbi's daughter told the IDF representatives that she believed the incident occurred because the soldiers were very tense, and that the IDF needed to calm them down. His widow said that she understood that the soldier made a terrible mistake.

 

At the meeting, Colonel Hazut admitted that he was deeply ashamed over the fact that the incident occurred in his sector and expressed his deep sorrow over the affair.

 

'Soldier deserves commendation'

Meanwhile, the family stressed that they were very uncomfortable with defining the rabbi as a terror victim as it makes it seem that the soldier who shot him is an enemy. They asked the general to promote the rabbi's recognition as a victim under the jurisdiction of the Defense Ministry.

 

The investigation of the incident is ongoing, while the soldier who opened fire is still recovering from wounds he sustained when he was run over by a truck during the incident.

 

His lawyer claimed that the soldier's actions were in no way against procedure: "He carried out the orders he received from his commanders, after believing his life was in danger, and acted in accordance with the law in that situation."

 

"Of course the entire nation is saddened by the death of the rabbi, but the soldier deserves a commendation for his actions for how he defended his life and the lives of his friends," the lawyer noted. The soldier's company commanders are expected to give their version of the events to the Military Police soon.

 

Yoav Zitun contributed to the report

 

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.13.11, 19:05
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