Friendly fire incidents are by definition avoidable, but the latest one on Monday night claimed the life of Staff Sgt. Natan Fitoussi raises a whole host of questions as to what the rules of engagement were.
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Fitoussi and his friend began their guard duty on Monday at 3 p.m. and were supposed to end their shift eight hours later. Their mission was to help stop the illegal entry of Palestinians over the security barrier as part of an effort to bolster security in that region in the wake of recent attacks.
The initial inquiry suggests that toward 10 p.m. Fitoussi left the post so that he could pray. The other soldier who guarded alongside him said that when he returned, he mistakenly thought it was a terrorist and initiated the necessary protocol that includes firing in the air, firing toward the legs, and then firing toward the torso. But what the investigators have found on the scene raises many questions as to how accurate this account is.
Contrary to some reporting, the shooter didn't fire just two rounds but a total of eight, and this figure was corroborated by casings found on the ground and by examining the magazine of his rifle. He fired while standing, from the area of the hip, which is not the posture combat soldiers should use when firing on a target.
The lack of coordination that the two soldiers manning the post is hard to grasp. Fitoussi and the shooter had been serving for two years. This was not the first time they had been paired together for guard duty. Just several days earlier they were doing the same thing at a nearby post and were briefed extensively on what were the dangers they were facing, including on the rules of engagements that prohibit firing on Palestinian civilians in most cases. This should, at the very least, sow some doubts in the shooter as to whom he was facing in those crucial moments.
On the other hand, getting to the bottom of what he was thinking is hard because sometimes the threat one feels is very subjective, especially at night and in an area where there are quite a few civilians who could be deemed an enemy at any given moment. This is why the commanders should have been more proactive by clarifying all that needs to be clarified.
It's also not clear why Fitoussi was allowed to go pray while on duty. This, after all, could have been a soft spot used by terrorists who gather basic intelligence on the forces. The would-be perpetrators could have used this for an attack at this very moment against one of them of both.
What's worse is that the company commander that arrived at the post to check on them also told Fitoussi he should pray closer to the other soldier. But for some reason didn't ask to postpone his praying until after they are off guard duty. Fitoussi followed his instructions and moved closer for his prayers, but the questions still linger: was praying pre-approved for this specific time of day when the darkness prevents eye contact?
Criminal negligence?
As always, there are many operational conclusions on what is allowed and what is not allowed after such events. The Military Police will also try to ascertain whether the shooter was criminally negligent and his file will be scrutinized to see if he has had any disciplinary issues and what instructions he had been given.
This should also help the IDF learn the lessons to prevent a recurrence of such an incident. This is the second friendly fire incident in recent months and at the very least, the commanders have a duty to remind soldiers of the rules of engagement and to reevaluate the current procedures in place. The Judea and Samaria region are rife with dangers; friendly fire should not be one of them.
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