Two newlywed paratroopers wounded in booby-trapped house explosion

Lt. Aharon Karov, of Karnei Shomron and Cpl. Nechemia Rubin of Elon Moreh were wounded during a joint Artillery Corps-Paratroopers operation.

By SHELLY PAZ
wounded newlywed aharon karov (photo credit: Channel 10)
wounded newlywed aharon karov
(photo credit: Channel 10)
Lt. Aharon Karov, of Karnei Shomron, was critically wounded by an explosion in a booby-trapped house in northern Gaza early on Tuesday morning. Two other paratroopers suffered light to moderate wounds; one was Cpl. Nechemia Rubin of Elon Moreh, according to the Chabad News Web site. Karov was married two weeks ago, and summoned for reserve service the next morning. Rubin was married two months ago. The three men were wounded during a joint Artillery Corps-Paratroopers operation as they were trying to clear the house. Karov, a platoon commander in the Paratroopers' Battalion 890, was taken to the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva. "We planned to have a relaxed breakfast together and to open the wedding gifts, when Aharon's commander called," his wife, Tzvia, told Army Radio, a few days after her husband reported for duty. "I was naive enough to think that he called to congratulate him. In my worse dreams I couldn't imagine he would be called up for reserve service a day after our wedding, but I am trying to be strong," she said. Karov was not happy about the emergency call-up, but he understood that he had no choice, Tzvia said. "Ultimately, we are at war, and the people of Israel need us now, so we must sacrifice our private life for now," she said. Karov is the son of Chaya and Karnei Shomron Rabbi Ze'ev Karov. He is also the brother-in-law of Brig.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai, who replaced the commander of the Golani's Battalion 13 after the latter was wounded in the January 5 friendly-fire incident in which three soldiers died. Aharon's relatives spent Tuesday outside the operating room at Beilinson, hoping for good news. "They came in the morning to the place where I teach and told me he was wounded," Ze'ev Karov told the Ynet Web site on Tuesday afternoon. "Aharon very much loves serving in the military and sees it as a mission. This is also why he went back to his unit a day after his wedding," he said. "We are praying for him. We've been through tough situations and we hope for the best. Aharon underwent a head operation and he is undergoing additional operations. The surgeon has already spoken to Tzvia and told her that he hopes to get to circumcise their son," Karov said. A week ago, Tzvia sent warm greetings to her husband via the Yediot Aharonot newspaper, where she wrote: "Aharon, my beloved and courageous husband. I am with you from a distance, [I] strengthen, support and pray [for you]. I believe in your decision to go to the battle for the sake of the people of Israel, a day after our wedding. Take care of yourself and your soldiers. Miss you and love you, your wife, Tzvia." The second wounded paratrooper, Nechemia Rubin, is the son of Rabbi Yehuda Rubin, who runs the Chabad House in Elon Moreh. Rubin told Chabad News it was a miracle that his son was only moderately wounded by the explosion. "He was standing next to his commander when the mine went off, sending shrapnel everywhere. He has burns on his face and arm, and they removed shrapnel from one of his eyes during surgery," Rubin said. His son was evacuated to Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba. "This is... a huge miracle. His commander was critically wounded. We don't know what will happen to Nechemia's eye, but may there only be more miracles for everyone, especially the commander," Rubin said. Nechemia Rubin's bride of two months, Meital, and his mother, Arlene, were at his bedside on Tuesday. The father, who has four other sons in the army, urged people to pray for the quick recovery of his son and for all of Israel's wounded soldiers. "We have faith in God that everything will be better very soon," he said.