The military prosecution announced today (Tuesday) that the investigation into the case of Col. (Res.) Yoav Yarom will be closed without criminal proceedings.
The decision was made following a hearing regarding the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Sergeant Gur Kehati, and Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Zeev Hanoch (Jabo) Erlich, during an operational tour in southern Lebanon.
However, the prosecution recommended taking command-level actions against Yarom. Another investigation, which was conducted against another individual involved in the incident, will also be closed without criminal proceedings. The families of the fallen soldiers were informed of the decision.
In November of last year, Sergeant Uri Nissenowitz a Golani soldier, was killed in a battle with Hezbollah militants near the village of Shamaa in southern Lebanon. Five days later, an investigation was conducted on-site. Col. (Res.) Yarom joined the mission voluntarily, and later, Erlich, an expert in archaeology and terrain analysis, also joined it.
During the investigation at a site near a mosque, the force was attacked by Hezbollah militants. Yarom and the commander of the force were injured. Sergeant Gur Kehati, who served as a combat medic, and Ze'ev Erlich, were killed.
The investigation revealed that Erlich was not formally drafted and was not in active reserve service at the time he entered southern Lebanon. Initially, it was decided to charge Yarom with manslaughter due to negligence, but new testimony from the commander of the force, who was injured in the battle, and additional evidence presented during the hearing-such as testimonies from commanders about Erlich’s contribution-changed the situation.
The evidence showed that the tour was approved in advance for operational purposes, and Yarom's claim about the operational nature of Erlich’s participation, could not be disproven.
In light of the findings of the investigation and the clarifications provided, it was decided to close the criminal case. However, command-level actions were recommended regarding the manner in which the entry into the area was carried out.