Prominent Israeli ethicist Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, who served as the tank commander during the first Lebanon war, responded to the return of the body of Sergeant Zachary Baumel, who has been missing since the battle of Sultan Yaqub in the summer of 1982.
Rabbi Cherlow, who was involved in the evacuation of the wounded from the battle, said: “Ever since that horrific battle at Sultan Yaqoub, we always stressed that as long as there was even a faint possibility to bring our lost brothers home - whether alive or not - we had a moral and human responsibility to do so."
"Bringing Zachary Baumel to his final resting place in Israel is the fulfillment of a national responsibility, both as a nation and to our soldiers. We offer our sincerest gratitude to all who were involved in this holy task and this is the ultimate display of commitment to our soldiers.
"We hope and pray that all the remaining missing will be returned home to their rightful places in the land of Israel.”