Israel says 52 of its soldiers have so far died in combat in southern Lebanon since the start of the invasion [Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty]
An Israeli archaeologist was killed in southern Lebanon on Wednesday after entering the battlefield with invading Israeli troops, reportedly to investigate an ancient fortress.
Ze’ev ‘Jabo’ Hanoch Erlich, 70, died alongside two Israeli soldiers in combat, the Israeli army said in a statement.
The Israeli army invaded the south of Lebanon at the start of last month, claiming it wanted to clear the border region of supposed Hezbollah elements and create a buffer zone.
Battles have raged at different fronts with Hezbollah fighters, stopping Israelis from advancing deeper into the territory.
Erlich was a historian and archaeologist and was reportedly a well-known settler in the occupied West Bank who had focused his studies on the “Land of Israel”.
He was reportedly on a mission with the Golani Brigade to explore an ancient shrine in southern Lebanon, to back up his claims that the region historically belonged to Israel. Footage of him in military uniform was widely shared online.
Many extremist Israeli settlers have claimed that southern Lebanon was an extension of the Galilee, or northern Israel, and have called for the annexation of the territory and building settlements there.
Erlich had visited the Shamoun al-Safa shrine, which neighbours a 12th-century Crusade fortress, in the village of Shamaa, recently overrun by Israeli forces.
Shamaa, a mere six kilometres away from the border in the Tyre district, derives its name from the shrine, attributed by local tradition to St. Peter, known in Arabic as Shamoun al-Safa, from Simeon and Cephas. The shrine was detonated by Israeli forces when they stormed it last week.
Erlich was killed when two Hezbollah fighters ambushed him and other soldiers as they were in a building.
The Golani Brigade chief of staff Yoav Yarom who accompanied Erlich in his visit was also said to have been injured.
The Israeli army says it will investigate the incident after Erlich entered Lebanon without proper permission. Despite this, he will be recognised as a “fallen soldier” and given a military funeral, Israeli media said.
Israel says 52 of its troops have been killed since the start of its invasion on 1 October, while Hezbollah claims its fighters have killed over 100 Israeli soldiers and wounded at least 1,000 others, with dozens of Israeli military vehicles destroyed.
