Who was Zeev Erlich the Israeli historian whose killed in Lebanon and what was he doing?

When Israeli historian and archaeologist Zeev Erlich entered southern Lebanon to examine one of the historic castles near the city of Tyre, he did not know that Hezbollah fire would be waiting for him there to kill him.

Erlich (71 years old) was in an operational area about 6 kilometers from the border, to survey an ancient castle near the village of “Shama” when Hezbollah missiles surprised him.

Although he was wearing a military uniform and carrying a personal weapon, a statement issued by the Israeli army considered him a “civilian” and said that his presence in that area constituted a violation of operational orders.

The historian, who Israeli newspapers say is busy searching for the “history of Greater Israel,” was wearing protective gear and was moving alongside the Chief of Staff of the Golani Brigade, Colonel Yoav Yarom.

While the two men were surveying a fortress on a high ridge where an Israeli soldier had been killed earlier, two Hezbollah members fired rockets at them from close range, killing Erlich and seriously wounding Yarom.

The Israeli army described the incident as serious and said it had opened an investigation into how Erlich had reached the area. However, Yedioth Ahronoth confirmed that this was not the first time Erlich had accompanied Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

He worked with the army

The Israeli newspaper quoted Yigal, the brother of the deceased, as saying that Erlich was treated as a soldier in the field and that he was accompanying Israeli forces for the purpose of archaeological research with the approval of the army and in his company.

Yigal accused the spokesman for the occupation army of trying to protect senior officers and placing responsibility for what happened on the middle leadership. The army confirmed that it would treat the deceased as a soldier and would bury him.

Erlich was killed when the building he was standing in collapsed when it was bombed with rockets. Israeli newspapers say the operation took place in what is known as the “Tomb of the Prophet Shimon”.

According to journalist Najwan Samri, Erlich was a settler who had often accompanied the army on operations in the West Bank in search of “Israeli history”, and the soldier who was assigned to guard him was killed in the operation.

Yedioth Ahronoth indicated that the deceased was known in Israel as a researcher in history and geography, and said that he edited the book series “Samaria and Benjamin” and “Studies of Judea and Samaria”. He is also one of the founders of the “Ofra” settlement in the West Bank.

Available information about Erlich indicates that he studied in religious Zionist institutions, including the “Western Wall School” in occupied Jerusalem, and obtained a BA from the Hebrew University there, and another in “Talmud and the History of the People of Israel” from the United States.

The deceased also served as an infantry and intelligence officer during the First Intifada, and was a reserve major in the army.