Israeli historian Ze’ev Erlich killed in southern Lebanon

On Wednesday, a famous Israeli historian and geographer, Ze’ev Erlich, killed after he entered southern Lebanon in a way that “violated operational orders,” according to a statement issued by the Israeli army.

Erlich, (71), was killed, as he entered an operational area 5 to 6 kilometers from the border, overlooking the city of Tyre and the southern coastal plain of Lebanon, busy surveying an ancient castle near the village of Shama, 105 kilometers from Beirut, and approximately 18 from Tyre, when Hezbollah fighters surprised him with shells that killed him while he was accompanying Israeli soldiers, in an incident that the Israeli army described as “serious and unusual” because Erlich, who was carrying a personal weapon and wearing military uniform and protective equipment, was a civilian in the area, and was next to Colonel Yoav Yarom, the chief of staff of the Golani Brigade.

Colonel Yarom, a veteran who lost his leg fighting in Lebanon years ago, was visiting a site where an Israeli soldier had been killed earlier.

The duo began surveying the citadel near a mosque on a high ridge, which we can see near in the video below, when two Hezbollah operatives who had been hiding in the Strip for days fired rockets from close range, killing Erlich.

The Israeli army has been investigating the circumstances of his presence since Wednesday, to determine whether he was there for archaeological purposes or as part of an operational mission.

Initial findings indicate that the historian’s entry into the area “violated operational orders,” according to Israeli army statement summarized by Israeli media outlets.

The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, added that this wasn’t the first time that Israeli army officers had accompanied him to southern Lebanon in recent weeks.

An initial investigation also revealed that Hezbollah elements had set a trap for Israeli soldiers, among whom was the historian who was hit by rockets, and was killed by the collapse of a building while he was inside the shrine of the Prophet Shimon al Safa in the village of Shama.

According to the Israeli army, “later, the army killed the two Hezbollah attackers”.

Erlich a historian, studied at religious Zionist institutions, including the Western Wall School in Jerusalem, and obtained a BA from the Hebrew University, and a second in “Talmud and the History of the People of Israel” from Touro University College in the United States.

He also served as an infantry and intelligence officer during the first intifada, and is a reserve major in the army.

Erlich is also an explorer and researcher of the “Land of Israel,” about which he has written several studies in a supplement published every Saturday by the Israeli Makor Rishon newspaper.

He is known for having worked as a teacher at the Lander Institute in Jerusalem, as a specialist in the West Bank, which he is famous for documenting ancient sites in Arab villages there, in addition to his work as a lecturer at the “Yacoub College for Heritage”.