Capt. Tzvi Koretzky, deputy commander of an infantry battalion, was found guilty yesterday of "causing death by negligence" when an Arab rioter was killed a year and a half ago. An IDF military court found that there was no justification for Koretzky's use of live ammunition, and will sentence him at a later date. The maximum penalty is three years in prison.
Captain Tzvi's father, Efim Koretzky, told Arutz-7 this morning that the army "has abandoned my son." He said that the incident occurred during a chase, commanded by his son, of terrorists planning to smuggle a car bomb from the Shomron into Jewish-populated areas across the Green Line. "Under such circumstances," Efim said, "my son did not have the proper tools by which to measure the precise extent of the danger presented to the force by the rioters and rock-throwers."
The incident occurred on Oct. 4, 2002, following a month in which 14 Israelis had been killed by P.A. terrorists in the course of the Oslo War. Koretzky was filling in for the battalion's regular commander, who was off for a few days. He and two soldiers were on a jeep patrol when they received warning of a car bomb driven by terrorists on its way to pre-1967 Israel. They went into the village in question to check, and were met by a mob of rock-throwing Arabs. The officer announced via megaphone that a curfew was being instituted, but the mob remained in place. The officer fired towards a building, from a distance of 75-100 meters (80-110 yards). One of the bullets mortally wounded a youth who just moments before had been on the porch, encouraging the rock-throwers. The court ruled that the officer was negligent in not using less severe means to accomplish his mission.
Captain Tzvi's father, Efim Koretzky, told Arutz-7 this morning that the army "has abandoned my son." He said that the incident occurred during a chase, commanded by his son, of terrorists planning to smuggle a car bomb from the Shomron into Jewish-populated areas across the Green Line. "Under such circumstances," Efim said, "my son did not have the proper tools by which to measure the precise extent of the danger presented to the force by the rioters and rock-throwers."
The incident occurred on Oct. 4, 2002, following a month in which 14 Israelis had been killed by P.A. terrorists in the course of the Oslo War. Koretzky was filling in for the battalion's regular commander, who was off for a few days. He and two soldiers were on a jeep patrol when they received warning of a car bomb driven by terrorists on its way to pre-1967 Israel. They went into the village in question to check, and were met by a mob of rock-throwing Arabs. The officer announced via megaphone that a curfew was being instituted, but the mob remained in place. The officer fired towards a building, from a distance of 75-100 meters (80-110 yards). One of the bullets mortally wounded a youth who just moments before had been on the porch, encouraging the rock-throwers. The court ruled that the officer was negligent in not using less severe means to accomplish his mission.