'Major failures' led to deadly Egypt border shooting, Israeli army says

Two Israeli army commanders to be reprimanded and another transferred as investigation findings released

Israeli soldiers and mourners carry the coffin of Sgt Lia Ben Nun, 19, who was shot dead near the border with Egypt earlier this month. AP

The Israeli army on Tuesday said “gaps and faults” as well as major failures in security procedures led to a border shooting carried out by an Egyptian conscript earlier this month in which three Israeli soldiers were killed.

In a report released following an investigation into the incident, the army admitted operational readiness among troops was “lacking” and said sending soldiers on guard duty in pairs was an “error” it will review.

The military said two of its troops were initially shot dead early on June 4 by Mohammed Salah Ibrahim, 22, a member of the Egyptian security services who had crossed a remote part of the border fence between the two countries.

A drone helped to find the gunman and he and a third Israeli soldier were killed in an exchange of fire.

“This is a serious incident with severe operational consequences that could have been prevented, and it is necessary to draw lessons from it immediately,” said Maj Gen Eliezer Toledano of the Southern Command.

The army said Mr Salah passed into Israel through a “security crossing” in the border fence he knew of in advance of the attack, which was hidden but not locked. The report said the first major failure was that members of the Israeli forces did not know where the crossings were located.

The army has said it will now seal all such crossings, blaming the attack on “poor implementation” of security in the border area.

Soldiers will now have their shifts reduced from 12 consecutive hours, the report said. The army will also increase the minimum number of troops sent on mission, saying sending soldiers out in pairs was a mistake.

Two Israeli army commanders will be reprimanded and another transferred after the incident.

Mr Salah, who started his border patrol duties more than two years ago, did not have any political affiliations and was mentally stable, sources told Egyptian media outlets, citing interviews with his friends and family.

They said about 40 people including relatives attended Mr Salah's burial three days after the incident, and that security officials were present. Israel handed over his body to Egyptian authorities on June 5.

Egypt in 1979 became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel and the countries share a more than 200-kilometre-long border. Security breaches are unusual.

After the deadly shooting, the Israeli army ordered border soldiers to open fire at the first sign of any “abnormal movements” from the Egyptian side.

“The soldiers are prohibited from approaching the border fence and were asked to maintain distance and not approach it unless given approval by a sector commander,” Israeli Army Radio reported on Monday.

Two battalion commanders have been officially reprimanded in light of the attack, according to Tuesday's report. A third will be transferred to another position within the army.

Israeli soldiers have also been told to wear headgear and immediately report any suspicious activity, the Israeli radio station Galei Tzahal reported.

Shortly after the shooting, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the incident and emphasised the importance of co-ordination.

A statement by the Egyptian military said Mr Salah had been chasing smugglers across the border before he was killed.