Lt. Col. (res.) Yaniv Yarom - the commander who allowed 70-year-old civilian Ze’ev 'Jabo' Hanoch Erlich to enter Lebanon - has requested to resign from his position on Monday.When Erlich was killed in Lebanon on Wednesday, a soldier was killed and an officer was seriously wounded, along with Yarom himself.The military said that Erlich, 70, from Ofra, served as a major in reserve and fell in combat in southern Lebanon.
“I share in the families’ grief, embrace them, and wish the wounded a swift recovery,” Yarom wrote in his letter to Golani Brigade commander Col. Adi Ganon.“Given the values I was taught and my belief that ‘pride comes with responsibility,’ I believe I must take command responsibility for the incident,” Yarom wrote. “Therefore, I request to end my position as Support Company Commander.”
Erlich may have been in Lebanon unlawfully
The Jerusalem Post understood that Erlich was brought into Lebanon unlawfully, though an investigation is still underway.The initial understanding was that his presence was related to a nearby archaeological site in southern Lebanon near which Israeli forces had been operating.“Of course, I will fully cooperate with the incident investigation and review,” Yarom wrote.