The Battle in Samaria Where Two Soldiers Were Killed - IDF Insists: 'The Soldiers Fell in Operational Activity, Not in Battle'

The IDF refuses to grant officer ranks to Staff Sergeant Benyahu Malet, who fell in the village of Tel along with Major Yuval Ezra. The family is furious over the decision, while the IDF insists on defining the incident as 'operational activity' rather than a battle.

The IDF refuses to grant officer ranks to Staff Sergeant Benyahu Malet, who fell on Friday in the village of Tel in Samaria along with Major Yuval Ezra. Malet served as a fighter and commander in Brigade 16 and the Yitzhar emergency response team, and came to rescue hikers trapped in the village. Despite completing a reserve officer course and serving as a platoon commander deputy, the Personnel Directorate refuses to grant him posthumous ranks, contrary to previous precedents. Additionally, the IDF defines the incident as 'operational activity' rather than a battle, sparking anger in the family. The family has appealed to the Personnel Directorate and the Central Command, but as of now the IDF stands by its refusal.

The Battle in Samaria Where Two Soldiers Were Killed - IDF Insists: 'The Soldiers Fell in Operational Activity, Not in Battle'