The Chief of Staff visited the unit in the Upper Galilee today (Tuesday) and held a dialogue with the unit’s commanders and fighters about the unfortunate shooting incident and the obligation to conduct a professional and thorough investigation as a condition for progress. The visit was attended by the commander of the Central Command, Major General Yehuda Fox, the commander of the commando brigade, Colonel Manny Liberty and the commander of the Egoz unit, Lt. Col. A.
The Chief of General Staff, Major General Aviv Kochavi, said: “Last week the unit experienced a very difficult incident in which we lost two excellent commanders. Losing a soldier as a lieutenant colonel and losing a soldier or officer as a chief of staff or commander-in-chief is the same thing, my heart was heavy that night just like your heart.
We need to do everything we can to prevent such incidents and to conduct a thorough investigation. Walnut unit is a strong and professional unit, composed of quality and experienced people, I understand the difficult feelings and at the same time – you must take the difficult event and come out of it stronger, all of you together. Walnut was an excellent unit, and I trust you that you will be even more excellent as a result of this event. ‘
The commander of the Walnut unit, Lt. Col. A., added: “The unit, like the walnut – is hard and tough on the outside and soft with a heart of gold on the inside. A unit with high mental strength, whose fighters and commanders are characterized by exceptional resilience and are capable of complex combat challenges. “Despite the difficulty in losing commanders and close friends, we are returning to training and operational activities this week.”
This is a TZ"To be delivered: "The unit is saddened by the fall of two of its commanders, the best of the best, the late Major Ofek Aharon and the late Major Itamar Elharar. The entire IDF and the Egoz unit in particular share in the grief of the bereaved families, support them and will continue to accompany them. The Egoz unit will continue to lead complex and covert operational activities in the various sectors in order to ensure the security of Israeli residents in routine and emergency situations."