Col. (res.) Yoav Yarom, the IDF officer who approved the controversial reconnaissance mission into southern Lebanon that resulted in the deaths of civilian journalist Ze’ev 'Jabo' Hanoch Erlich and IDF combat soldier Gur Kehati, spoke out for the first time in a televised interview aired on Channel 12's "Uvda," as part of an investigative report by journalist Chen Lieberman.
Reflecting on the deadly incident, Yarom said he had already conducted a thorough self-review. "We can conduct a better debrief for someone than he can for himself," he said, referencing Erlich. "I've had many complex incidents throughout my career. This one is the most difficult of all. There's one persistent thought - that maybe I could have done things differently. But at the time, I believed there was operational value in bringing him in."
Erlich's access was known and approved by senior command
Addressing the widespread criticism following Erlich's death, Yarom defended the decision to allow him into a combat zone, stressing that his presence was not informal or unauthorized.
"All senior command knew him. They saw him, working with him - even in Lebanon," Yarom said. "I didn't bring in a professor from the University of Haifa or a doctor from Tel Aviv University. He wasn't just some civilian I happened to take with me."
Lieberman questioned whether there was a significant difference between bringing Erlich into West Bank cities and into Lebanese territory. Yarom pushed back, saying that in some cases, operating in the West Bank can be even more dangerous.
"Why do you think that going into the Kasbah in Nablus at night is safer than Jafar Shama?" he asked. "Any given night in the Nablus Kasbah carries far greater risk."
'I don't place the blame on anyone else'
Asked whether he views Erlich's death as an unfortunate consequence of happening on his watch, Yarom responded firmly: "No, I'm not shifting the responsibility for Jabo's death onto anyone else. It's not about avoiding accountability. The fact is, everyone was going in with him week after week. Clearly, the organization saw value in him."
Yarom noted that in the weeks leading up to the fatal ambush in Lebanon, Erlich's activities openly coordinated through WhatsApp groups. His movements in the West Bank were reportedly carried out with the approval of brigade commanders and under the protection of IDF forces.
"He even invited other military personnel to join him. It was first come, first served," Yarom added.
'There were times I said no'
Despite this, Yarom emphasized that he did set boundaries.
"There were definitely times when he wanted to go in, and I didn't allow it - because I thought it wasn't right. That includes this war," he said.
Yarom clarified that Erlich was not permitted to enter Gaza at all during the current conflict. The only exception made was a single entry into the Lebanese town of Maroun al-Ras, which Yarom approved.
A tragic end to a bold legacy
The deaths of Erlich and Kehati have sparked national debate over the involvement of civilian journalists in active combat zones. While some have praised Erlich's courage and unique documentation of IDF activity, others have criticized the lack of stricter oversight regarding his presence on the battlefield.
The IDF continues to investigate the operational and command-level decision that led to the fatal encounter. Meanwhile, voices like Yarom's offer a glimpse into the difficult balance commanders must strike between mission value, operational transparency, and soldier safety.