Family of son who died during army preparations criticizes IDF
Elyashiv Lubitch received only two weeks' notice of his recruitment to the IDF's Sayeret Matkal unit. He increased his training, but passed away during a during a private preparation run. His family is now demanding that the Ministry of Defense recognize him as a fallen soldier.
Can a youngster who died during training preparations for joining a top army unit be recognized as a fallen IDF soldier?
That is the question being examined by a special committee convened in the wake of the death of 18-year-old Elyashiv Lubitch, who died suddenly during a private training run in preparation for his recruitment to the army's prestigious Sayeret Matkal unit.
The committee is expected to make a decision in the next few days. The issue was originally raised by Elyashiv's family, which has demanded that he be recognized as a fallen soldier.
Elyashiv, who was studying in Gush Etzion, received only two weeks' notice of his recruitment to the unit, his family claims. Because of the very short notice, he increased his training in order to be physically ready for his recruitment.
During one of the teenager's private training runs he collapsed and died suddenly. Ilana, Elyashiv's mother, claims that the army bullied and messed her son around during the months prior to his invitation to join Sayeret Matkal, during which he was trying to be accepted into the elite unit.
"They didn't agree to summon him, except on the condition that he give up on being a yeshiva student," Ilana, Elyashiv's mother said. "He tried hard to argue with them but there was no one to talk to. Having no choice, and against his will, he gave it up," Ilana continued.
"He wanted to be in perfect condition, something which cannot be achieved in the space of two weeks," she added. "When he understood that he didn't have a sympathetic ear (at the army) and that he would have to join up in November, he started to train for long hours every day.
"One day he suddenly dropped during a run and died, while trying to meet the recruitment order for November. That's how the IDF killed my son." Elyahiv's death appears to have been caused by heart failure.
A lawyer representing Ilana Lubitch, Eli Saban, claims that prior to his recruitment Elyashiv had a selection day, during which the army performed a medical check-up on the teenager. This check-up paved the way for his recruitment.
"He (Elyashiv) had undergone his army trial period before his joining Sayeret Matkal," Saban said in his letter to the Ministry of Defense, adding that he should therefore be recognized as a fallen soldier as per the law.
The signs from the Ministry of Defense are that Elyashiv will not be recognized as a fallen soldier, as he died under civilian circumstances. The family is in the process of submitting a petition on the matter to the court.
The IDF Spokesperson said in response: "The IDF shares in the family's grief. The opinion of the IDF is that (Lubitch) died prior to his recruitment to serve and under civilian conditions that do not grant him recognition as a fallen soldier, as per the decision of the Ministry of Defense."
The Ministry of Defense said that its response would be given directly to the family.
