Israel Matzav

One of the most shameful events in IDF history coming back to haunt Gantz?

The family of an IDF soldier who was left to bleed to death under his command may challenge the appointment of Benny Gantz as the Chief of Staff of the IDF.

Madhat Yusuf was killed at Joseph's Tomb and his family claims that Gantz, then-commander of the Judea and Samaria Division, did not rescue the injured soldier and did not take responsibility for the incident.

The fallen soldier's brother, Mahdi Yusuf, said in an interview with Israel Radio that neither Gantz nor any other IDF officer gave the a family a plausible explanation of the events which led to Yusuf's death and therefore they are considering a challenge in the High Court against Gantz being the IDF's next chief.

Yusuf, a Druse from from Beit Jann, died of wounds sustained during fierce fighting at Joseph's Tomb in Nablus at the outbreak of the second Intifada. He was wounded in the neck by a bullet and died after Palestinian security forces prevented his medical evacuation for over five hours.

In an attempt to evacuate him from the compound, then- OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Yitzhak Eitan asked senior Palestinian security officials to halt the gunfire. Former chief of General Staff Shaul Mofaz arrived at a field headquarters set up nearby to supervise the operation, and the IDF warned it would enter the city if the Palestinians failed to comply.

The IDF never carried out the operation to attempt a rescue of Yusuf.

That was one of the most shameful moments in the history of the IDF. Because Ehud Barak was so afraid of killing 'Palestinians,' an IDF soldier was not rescued and bled to death.

Labels: Benny Gantz, Ehud Barak, IDF Judea and Samaria Division, intifadeh, Joseph's tomb, Madhat Yusuf

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:18 AM