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<br><em></em>
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.